Vampires Don't Exist
by Timekeeper101
Summary: He's a vampire; she's human. Things wouldn't be THAT bad, except that politics, genetics, and society all seem to conspire against them. Is dating each other really worth the struggle? TakumaxOC. A political drama with a dash of romance, suspense, family, and friendship.
1. Second Encounter

Hello! A new version of an old story. I hope you'll all enjoy it! Any feedback is appreciated. I don't own _Vampire Knight._

Cross-posted on AO3 under the same title.

* * *

I sit down on the cold, stone steps of the Sun Dorm. The last rays of sunlight reflect off the lake water and into my eyes, blinding me and turning everything else a deep red. I can't stay here for very long; it's almost time for the Night Class to come out. When they do, the rest of my classmates will be running to see them like the star-crossed fangirls they are. It'll spoil the quiet.

Not that I'm actually taking advantage of the quiet to read my volume of _Silver Spoon_ , anyway. But it's nice to have some peace, all the same. The Day Class, collectively, can be pretty obnoxious. Everyone's always going on about Idol-senpai in particular. He's such a ham—it kind of makes me sick.

Well, not just him. Something about the entire Night Class just… puts me off. I can't explain why, really. I could blame it on their ridiculous wealth and amazing good looks—the whole spoiled rich kid bit, but that's not it at all. I wish I knew what it was.

Granted, they really aren't all bad. Aido's just the most noticeable. Not as many of my classmates are as obsessed with the one Night Class member I actually like. His name is Takuma Ichijo, and he's always got a smile on his face and greets everyone with genuine cheer. He seems pretty nice— _and_ he's cute, which is a nice bonus. Not only this, but every time I've watched the Night Class on their way to campus—which is only a handful of times—I've seen him carrying a manga volume or two. Now _there's_ someone I could go for: sweet, cute, and a manga nerd.

Let's be real, I've already got a pretty decently sized crush on him. I have had since day one—I remember first arriving on campus as a freshman and accidentally intercepting a girl from trying to get a picture of one of the new Night Class members. I collided with her just as Yuki Cross, one of the Disciplinary Committee members, came running over. We ended up falling in a heap, me on the bottom, and the next thing I knew (besides getting the wind knocked out of me), a pale hand was reaching out to me. Ichijo was there, smiling, and he helped me up with a laugh. "Welcome to Cross Academy!" he'd said with clear amusement. I'd introduced myself, but his own introduction was cut short by Zero Kiryu (Disciplinary Committee Number Two) yanking him back by his shirt collar. His shocked face was incredibly comical and I couldn't help but giggle. Kiryu told him in no uncertain terms to report to someone, glaring the whole time. A wave, an apologetic smile, and a "see you around" were all I got before Ichijo disappeared into the crowd of milling students.

The problem is, I can't ever "see him around." The Disciplinary Committee has strict orders to keep the Day and Night classes separate. Not that I blame Headmaster Cross for setting up his little team of two if it keeps the massive hordes of fangirls from attacking the Night students. But it feels like there's another reason behind the separation. I mean, why go out of the way to forbid contact between our classes? I understand wanting to keep fangirl creeping at a minimum, but total separation seems unnecessary, especially from the offset.

The creak of the door opening behind me makes me jump. Time to move. The Day Class is off to watch the Night Parade.

I could go back inside—it would be quiet there, now that everyone is outside. But the outside seems so much more welcoming. And now that I don't have track practice as an excuse to be outside each evening, well, meandering the grounds, it is. There's that one tree toward the east side of campus; I could hide out there for a bit.

Book in hand, I set out. I hope I don't get caught by Zero again. Why is it such a horrendous crime to walk about the school grounds after seven in the evening? They always act like it's such a big deal, like our lives are in danger or something. Lighten up. Sometimes people just want some fresh air.

They make it seem like there's some awful secret about the Night Class. What in god's name could all of the Night Class students have in common that would merit such strict separation? Is there really something so bad that even Ichijo...?

I just sigh and stop thinking about it. My imagination doesn't need to run wild on ridiculous tangents like _that_. Etsuko always says I think too much, anyway.

By now, the sun has set, and I can see the floods of Day Class girls flocking to the Moon Dorm's entrance to look at the Night Class. I suppress a groan and close my eyes, but I can still hear them. Unfortunately.

The leaves crunch as I walk through the grass to my favorite tree. From one of the middle branches, you can see the school building, both dorms, the headmaster's office, and the lake. It's quite a view. If I climb up higher, I can catch a glimpse of town, too, just beyond the water.

My foot finds a stable spot on a tall root and the smooth bark provides a good grip for me to pull myself up to the first branch. I ought to be too old to enjoy climbing trees, but it's a nice place to sit and think without being bothered. Besides, the leaves make it harder for Kiryu and Cross to see that I'm here, and both the leaves and the weather are going to turn soon, so I should take advantage while the season is still nice. Ish. It's a little cooler than I'd like, but it's not too bad.

Being alone gives me time to think. If Kiryu and Cross are so strict that they have to enforce the school rules, then why do they break those rules by falling asleep in class all the time? It doesn't fit. If they were so uptight, they'd obey all the rules, all the time. Which would mean there's a reason why they don't want us to be around the Night Class.

But why?

I can only sigh and give up thinking about it. If I've thought about it once, I've thought about it a hundred times over the past three years, and I still don't have an answer.

My gaze drifts out onto the lake, where the moon's reflection shines white on the water. In the distance, a chorus of singing frogs provides a lovely musical backdrop. A light breeze rustles my hair. I sort of wish I'd brought a jacket.

"Hello?"

Whoa—geez!

My heart's racing like a rabbit's and I'm only saved from falling out of the tree by instinctively gripping the branches on either side of me. Through some miracle, my book is still in my lap. God, you can't just sneak up on someone like that! Besides, what do you think I'm doing up in a tree, trying to be social? Go away!

I look down to give this interloper a piece of my mind, but below me stands none other than Takuma Ichijo.

I swallow all my anger and stare down blankly for a few moments before I recover. "Um… hi." An inspired opening line. Sheesh—can't I do any better? He's going to think I don't have two brain cells to rub together. "You scared me!"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you," he apologizes with a smile. "May I ask what you're doing up there?"

"I needed to find a quiet place," I say, hoping my heart isn't beating too loudly. Why on earth is he on this side of campus? Though I probably shouldn't question my luck. "You know how the Day Class gets this time of night."

"Don't I just!" He chuckles uneasily. "It's quiet now, though. You could come down." His green-gray eyes look up at me expectantly.

He's not wrong. "One second." Climbing down is easy enough, though I have my book to contend with. Normally, I'd hold it in my mouth. Call me crazy, but I'm not eager to do that in front of Ichijo.

I clear my throat. "Could you please hold onto my book?"

He leans over far enough to see me gesturing through the leaves and nods. "Sure thing!" He tucks his books under one arm, and I lob mine gently towards him. Easily, he catches it, then turns it to look at the cover. " _Silver Spoon_! That's a fun one!"

I smile as I turn around to begin the descent. I'm so glad I decided to change out of my uniform and into jeans and a blouse; otherwise, I'd be giving him quite the view. "I just started reading it. I loved _Fullmetal Alchemist_ , so I thought I'd give it a go."

"You'll enjoy it," Ichijo promises. "Anything Hiromu Arakawa does is excellent."

My hands find the final branch after my feet do, and I swing myself down before landing as lightly as possible. I stand tall as I face him, attempting to look like I might be a reasonably proper person and not a human disaster.

I'm not entirely sure what to say next. What _does_ one say in such situations? I look him over nervously and my eyes are drawn to the books under his arm. Besides mine, he's got three manga volumes, each one the latest issue of its series.

"I didn't know the next _Blue Exorcist_ volume was out!" I blurt out before I can stop myself. "When did you get it?"

He laughs. I love Ichijo's laugh. It sounds so pleasant and genuine, rich and light. It's infectious, and I find myself grinning back at him. "So you're into more than just Arakawa's work, then!"

"Absolutely. My roommate's always telling me I have too much manga," I admit with a grin. "My bookshelf is overflowing."

He nods. "Groaning shelves—I know the feeling! What's your favorite series?"

"I never have an answer ready for that." I shrug. "It's too hard to narrow it down. Maybe _Fullmetal Alchemist_? And I have a soft spot for _Wallflower_ and _Ouran High School Host Club_."

His green eyes shine brightly in the moonlight as he grins. "Those are all really good, yeah! I've been into _Jojo's Bizarre Adventure_ for a long time."

"Have you read _Bakuman_?"

"That one's a lot of fun!" he responds cheerfully. "I've got some mixed feelings about it overall, but it's a fun read."

I nod. "Yeah, it's a little sexist."

"Only slightly," he says with cheerful sarcasm. "And the subplot between Mashiro and Azuki gets a little trying sometimes."

I smile and shrug my shoulders. "It's unrealistic, but they've got some cute moments now and again." I can't suppress a shiver as a cool breeze rushes around me. It must be later than I'd thought.

His eyes narrow a bit as his smile widens. "Definitely!" He looks at me for a moment in silence. "It's Hikari Yagari-chan, right?"

I nod. "Mm-hm. I'm surprised you remember!" Which is a true statement. I hadn't thought he'd remember me at all, let alone my name.

Ichijo's smile all but lights up the night. "I have a wonderful memory for cute faces."

Oh, my!

"I... I don't know what to say, now." I swallow heavily. I don't blush very often, but how can I not when he says things like that?

He chuckles. "You don't have to say anything. Though I should probably introduce myself. Kiryu-kun kept me from doing so properly the first time. I'm Takuma Ichijo, though I suspect you know that by now."

I smile and bow in return. "And all this time, I'd thought you were Ichij— _aaaughlk_!" I imitate the choking noise he'd made when Zero had pulled him away from our first encounter. Geez, _that_ must've made for an attractive impression, my making faces and dumb noises and poking fun at him. I compose myself. "It's nice to meet you properly."

His laughter is, again, infectious and genuine. "Nice to meet you, too. Properly."

I clasp my hands behind my back and lean up against the tree. What in the world are you supposed to say to your crush who isn't supposed to know that you exist? Not only that, but—"Shouldn't you be in class?" I ask then. "Not to chase you off or anything, but..."

He completely avoids the question. "I saw you in your tree there, and decided to see what you were up to. You don't see many people climbing trees at this school" —he's not wrong— "and I realized after coming over that you were the girl who'd done a fantastic imitation of a pancake on move-in day."

I have to laugh at that, even though I can feel my cheeks heating up (so much for not blushing). "Ah, yes, one of my finest impromptu performances. I'm glad it struck a chord with you." There's a pause, wherein I shiver again in the cool night air.

"I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?" he asks then.

I shake my head. "Only sleep." Gosh, it's cold out tonight! My nice, warm bed is sounding pretty good, but I'm not ready to go just yet.

His expression changes and he straightens as though to begin leaving. "I shouldn't keep you up too late. You should rest so you can keep your grades up. Only think how I'd feel if I were the cause of a failing grade!" He lifts his hand to his forehead dramatically, and I giggle.

"My grades are fine. And that's what coffee was invented for, Senpai."

Ichijo grins at me. "We're in the same grade. I'm not really your senpai."

It's rich thinking that we're even remotely peers. The Night Class takes high-level elite courses; I wouldn't presume to think we're on the same playing field. On the other hand, I'm not stupid enough to turn down his invitation. "Ichijo-kun, then."

A pleased expression lights up his face for a moment, but then he shifts his weight to his other foot, looking a little more serious. "Grades or no, if we don't go soon, the Disciplinary Committee will be after us."

He's right, but I don't want him to leave. Suddenly, I'm very aware of how well the conversation has been going so far. Then again, maybe I should quit while I'm ahead—I'm liable to jinx myself at any moment.

As my mind volleys between finding excuses to stay and how to say goodbye, Ichijo kneels to place his books on the ground. Before I know it, he removes his jacket with a flourish and places it around my shoulders. His smile makes mine appear again, and I know it's not the warmth from the jacket that's making my cheeks heat up. "You really should be getting back to your dorm, where it's warmer," he remarks.

"You don't have to go cold for my sake. My dorm's not that far away." And yet I can't bring myself to take off the jacket. Instead, I tug it closer.

He smiles. Such a delightful smile. "It's fine! I don't get cold easily, so it doesn't bother me." I am more than a little surprised by his kindness. I wonder what all the rest of the Day Class would say if they knew the poor scholarship student was approached (and lent a jacket to) by none other than the Moon Dorm Vice President. "And you look like you need it more than I do."

"You might be right, there," I agree. I notice his books are still on the ground, so I bend down to pick them up. "Here—so they don't get damp."

"Oh, thank you." His fingers brush mine in the transaction as he separates his books from mine. "Let me walk you back to your dorm. Or to the gate, anyway."

I smile. "How gallant, Ichijo-kun. Are you always so chivalrous?"

With an elaborate bow, he holds his arm out to me. "Only in the presence of such a beautiful maiden fair."

I roll my eyes even as I giggle, then switch _Silver Spoon_ to the other hand so that I can take his elbow. "'Maiden fair?' More like a street urchin. You did see me climbing that tree earlier, right?"

"Perhaps 'wood nymph' or 'dryad' would suit you better," he responds teasingly. His green eyes turn to me as we stroll towards the sidewalk.

"Wow. I can certainly say that's the first time I've been called either of those."

"It's not often that I get to escort such a pretty girl. I have to give out compliments when I can. Just to keep my hand in, you know." His teasing smile lights up his whole face.

Talk about smooth.

There's a part of me that really wonders how he can mean that when he's constantly surrounded by the likes of Rima Toya, Ruka Souen, and the other Night Class girls. Toya is even a model—I've seen her in magazines before. But there's something in his voice and expression that makes me want to believe him. Or at least, believe that he really _thinks_ I'm pretty, though maybe that's wishful thinking.

Frick—ow!

Suddenly, the ground's coming up to meet me, and my knee collides with the pavement before I can catch myself. My book goes skittering down the cobblestones.

I guess I got so caught up that I didn't watch where I was going and tripped. My knee got a little scrape, but it's not too bad. It's not _really_ bleeding. Not much, anyway.

"Are you okay?" Ichijo asks quickly. He kneels beside me as I blow on my stinging kneecap.

As I finish aiming a puff of air at my knee, I nod. "It'll be fine. I'll put a bandage on it when I get—"

I'm not sure what I was expecting to see on Takuma Ichijo's face, but it sure isn't glowing red eyes or sharp, white fangs!

Before I can stop myself, I scramble backwards and then stand up hurriedly. Never mind that this should be impossible. Suddenly, it all makes sense: the Disciplinary Committee's unwillingness to let us wander around at night, why they kept our classes apart so fiercely, and why everyone in the Night Class is so talented, beautiful, and _nocturnal_.

And why I'm so constantly unnerved by them.

I should run. I need to run. Get away from him. I'm fast—I can probably outrun him. Unless vampires are faster than humans?

The red in his eyes dulls a bit as his expression becomes carefully neutral. He doesn't move, and neither do I. My heart pounds furiously and I bite back on the instinct to run as fast as I can in the opposite direction. While he's clearly not trying to approach me, I'm still ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

How can this be happening? The sting in my knee keeps me from wondering if this is a dream. It's too real. Even the scent of dew-wet grass in my nose tells me this is too visceral to be anything but reality.

"You… you're a v-vampire?!" I stammer. What else could he be?

But how? How can vampires exist? Someone would've known about this by now—even some conspiracy theorist would've posted something on the internet! Shouldn't someone have known?

But this is real. I don't know how, but it's real.

Ichijo's expression remains calm. "Yes. That's what we are, the Night Class. Are you afraid?"

Is he joking? "Afraid? Of vampires? I think I'd be an idiot not to be!"

But his eyes are calculating now, searching my face for something. "But you're still here."

"S-so I am." I swallow again. My heart's still thumping hard in my chest. The initial shock is still there, but I'm starting to feel less like I need to bolt.

"Are you afraid of _me_?" He straightens his back and stands up a few feet ahead of me.

A light wind blows through the trees and catches at the hem of the white jacket around my shoulders; I clutch it closer. A warm, soft smell from the fabric reaches my nose. I'm not sure if that's his cologne, or his shampoo, detergent, or heck, maybe even just the smell of _him_. But it's such a _nice_ smell.

Maybe it's incredibly stupid of me, but it seems like I shouldn't be afraid of him.

I hope I can trust my gut on this one.

I shake my head, my gaze not leaving his.

With that, his familiar smile begins to reappear. It looks a little different with his red eyes and fangs, but it's still unmistakably friendly. "I'm glad."

The piercing shriek of a whistle makes us both jump. "Hey! You know better, Ichijo-senpai!" cries Cross as she races across the grass toward us. "What would Kaname-senpai say if he found out?"

"Found out what?" he asks innocently. "I haven't told her any secrets." Under Cross's quelling glare, he holds up his hands in mock surrender. "I was only escorting her to the safety of the Sun Dorm. Nothing has happened." By now, the light in his eyes is fading, returning to his usual green.

"That's what he wants us to believe," growls a low voice as Zero Kiryu arrives behind Ichijo.

"He hasn't done anything, I swear!" I protest. "It was my fault for being clumsy and scraping my knee."

"And it's amazing we're not surrounded by those bloodsuckers by now," Kiryu mutters darkly. "Yuki, take her back while I take this leech to his classroom." He grabs Ichijo's arm roughly like he's going to drag him all the way there. Ichijo gives a protesting sound, looking more affronted than anything.

"That won't be necessary." Oh, who's here, _now_? It's bad enough to have the two of us caught by the Disciplinary Committee without even more spectators poking their noses in.

But of course Kaname Kuran would show up.

Kiryu doesn't let go, but his eyes narrow dangerously as the president of the Moon Dormitory approaches. "Please let go of him, Kiryu-kun."

I could swear that sparks are flying as Kiryu and Kuran glare at each other. Kiryu's challenging gaze is finally stared down by Kuran, and Kiryu backs away. I'm not sure Kiryu was obeying him so much as accepting that arguing with Kuran wouldn't be worth it in this instance.

Ichijo steps forward. "My apologies, Kaname. I thought I saw something over here, then found Yagari-chan out alone. I was just escorting her to her dormitory," he says with the cadence of someone who's awfully practiced at giving innocent explanations. What's he ever had to cover up, I wonder? He bends to pick up his books. They must've been dropped when I tripped. I hadn't noticed. "I'll head to class."

Kuran is looking straight at me, now. I blink, but hold my ground. "Yes, Kuran-senpai?" I say in my most innocuous schoolgirl voice.

"Takuma's jacket, please," he says in a velvety tone.

Ichijo's face looks like he wants to protest, but instead bites his tongue. I smile at him, and in return, he gives me a rueful look. "It's okay, Ichijo-kun. The dorm's not that far." I hand the jacket back to him, trying not to shudder in the chill air. "Thank you, though." Kuran keeps looking at me, though. "That's not all, is it?" I ask softly.

"No. Takuma, if you would."

He bites his lip and holds back a sigh. "Yes, Kaname." His eyes are tired, now, and full of reluctance. "I'm sorry, Yagari-chan. I didn't want to have to do this."

"Do what?"

His hand reaches up to my forehead. A dull pink glow starts to swim in my vision. "When you wake up, you will have no memory of tonight." My eyes go wide, which only makes his expression more sorrowful. I think, anyway. His face is moving all… all funny. Everything's going blurry. "I enjoyed our chat this evening."

And everything turns black.

* * *

A sharp screech fills my ears. I groan as I feel around the table for my alarm clock. Something else, though, meets my fingers. Something slick and flexible.

"Hey, Yagari! Turn off the freaking alarm!"

My head jerks up to the voice of Etsuko, who looks at me grumpily from her bed across the room. Immediately I shut it off.

Etsuko retreats back under the covers with a groan. I know she's been studying a lot; she was probably up late last night.

I reach back on my nightstand. Sitting there are two volumes of manga—the first volume of _Silver Spoon_ and the latest one of _Blue Exorcist_. I've been looking forward to that one for so long! But whose is it? Surely I'd remember if someone lent it to me!

I open the cover of the book. In a sprawling, elegant script reads the message:

 _Yagari-chan:_  
 _Return it when you can._  
 _—Ichijo_

I look at it in wonder. How did this get here?

A dim memory comes back of a white jacket around my shoulders and the soft scent of warmth and spices. Not that it explains anything. I only dreamed he lent me his coat.

Geez, how sappy am I, dreaming about a boy lending me his jacket.

I really don't have the mental acuity to think about it much yet. Maybe after I've had some coffee—I'm exhausted.

Quietly, I lay the book down on my bed and go get dressed. I'll read it in class and try to return it to Ichijo tonight when the Night Class goes on parade. And maybe I'll get to see his smile.

A brief image of Ichijo pops into my head, only he's got vampire fangs. I shake my head. That can't be right. Vampires don't exist.


	2. At the Ball

So sorry about the coding nonsense! It's better now!

* * *

A month later, and I still have that _Blue Exorcist_ manga Takuma Ichijo supposedly lent me. I can't give it back, let alone ask him about it, without being nabbed by Cross and Kiryu, so I've kept it. I feel pretty guilty about that. I mean, if someone had kept my manga for over a week without staying in touch about it (and the newest volume, too), I'd be pretty peeved.

Tonight, though, is the night of the midterm ball, and a potential opportunity for me to return it without getting yelled at by the Disciplinary Committee.

Well, regardless or not I see Ichijo, Etsuko and I are bound to have fun. It's nice getting dressed up like this on occasion! We've spent the last few days laughing and teasing each other about who the other will dance with. Or try to dance with, anyway.

"I'll bet you a Kit-Kat you can't get Kain-senpai to dance with you!" I challenge her, running some fiber gum through my dark curls. Now if only it will stay put all evening without getting all frizzy.

"I'll bet you the same you can't get a dance with Ichijo-senpai," she challenges.

"You've got yourself a bet." I grin.

Etsuko smiles at me through the mirror in response, and leans forward to scrutinize her face, which is perfectly made-up—I don't know why she worries. "So, if you can't get Ichijo-senpai, who _will_ you dance with?"

"Huh?" I shrug and reach for a blue ribbon headband, which I'm not bothering to put on yet. "I don't know. I guess with Mori-kun, but that's probably it." For all I've gotten good grades in my ballroom dancing classes, I'm not too keen on it, unless it's with someone I really like. Or know well and am comfortable with, like our classmate, Mori. "Oh, well. I'm going to get my dress on."

"Okay," calls Etsuko as I leave. She's still touching up her make-up.

I head from the en suite to our room and pull the box out from under my bed. Dad sent me the dress last week for the ball, and it's been lying there since then, waiting for me to open it. It's a light, delicate blue with a fitted bodice that that flows into a skirt with a hint of train—off the shoulders and very elegant. Or, at least, I think so.

In the box is also a silver necklace with a tiny teardrop-shaped pearl and matching earrings. I can't suppress a feeling of intense excitement about tonight. This dance only comes once a year, and if someone special happens to be there, well, it's only natural to have some butterflies in your stomach.

I finish getting ready and put Ichijo-senpai's _Blue Exorcist_ volume in my silver drawstring handbag to give to him at the ball. "Ready, Etsuko?" I ask as I begin tying the headband in my hair.

"Hikari!" She comes dashing into the room wearing her gorgeous burgundy dress, looking like she's ready for a red-carpet event (with the exception of her frazzled demeanor).

I blink at her. "I'll take that as a 'no.'"

"I can't find my shoes." She stares at me flatly, almost willing me to realize the depth of this tragedy.

I sigh. "Where did you last have them?"

"I thought they were in the closet, but I can't find them." She runs a hand through her hair and exhales slowly. "I _just_ saw them."

I shrug. That's hardly an exhaustive search. "Did you check on the floor? Under the bed? Behind the hamper?"

"Yes, yes, and yes!" She pulls a face. "I'm not stupid."

"Calm down!" I retort, setting down my handbag to search. The first place I look is under a heap of dirty uniforms tossed carelessly on the floor. Sure enough, there lie the shoes.

"Thank you!" She runs back to the bathroom, shoes in hand. From there, her words echo out to me. "When Kain-senpai and I have children, we'll name our firstborn after you."

I laugh. "Just put them on, already!"

Soon, we're finally ready to go to the ball. The cold night air hits us both like a ton of bricks as we head outside. Some of the students are meeting up with their dates on the front steps, leaving in pairs or groups. I shiver. Most of them don't have coats, either, and I wonder how they're not huddled together and freezing. "Should we get our coats?" I ask.

"No coats. We freeze like men," Etsuko responds in a deadpan tone, though I notice she's walking rather quickly. "I'm going to catch up with Ichihara-chan and everyone. See you inside?"

"Sure thing. See you!"

Etsuko speeds up to catch a group of students I only sort of know, leaving me to walk by myself. I don't mind. I pull my lacy shawl about my shoulders, as though it's of any help whatsoever against the cold air of November. Slowly, I make my way down the stone paths toward the old, unused teachers' dorm, where the ball is being held across campus.

"God, it's cold out!" comes a voice behind me. I glance over my shoulder to see Mori striding to catch up with me.

I snort. "At least you have sleeves."

He shrugs. "I know, I know. C'mon. Let's hurry over so we can get indoors." I lengthen my pace as much as my heeled shoes will let me.

When we arrive, the whole place is aglow, soft light turning the white marble into a fairytale setting. Orchestral music can be heard throughout the place, but I can't tell where it's coming from. Here in the foyer are clusters of armchairs and benches where couples with hors d'oeuvres can sit and eat and chat.

A warm, sweet, spicy smell fills the air. My mouth waters. "Do they seriously have hot cider?"

"Let's go get some!" Mori says eagerly. We weave our way in and out of chaises and tables to make our way to the back. Sure enough, there's a long table loaded with nibbles and cakes, and a large, gleaming vat of spiced cider being served by a man in a chef's uniform. He hands me a fine china teacup and I gratefully sip at it, savoring its warmth as I cradle it in my hands. I can't help but let out a low, happy sigh as its cinnamon spice heats me from within.

Mori makes a similar sound of appreciation. "I was afraid I'd never feel my fingertips again."

I sniffle as I breathe in the steam. "I can actually feel my nose thawing. Another moment and it would've broken off from frostbite."

"Like the Sphinx," Mori returns. "Pretty sure that's why it fell off. Frostbite in the middle of the desert."

We grab a table and finish our drinks quickly and in silence. After a few moments, both of us start to feel better. "So, who are you going to dance with tonight?" I ask conversationally.

"I might see if Himura-chan's around," he says with forced casualness. I am very proud of myself for not smiling—he wouldn't appreciate it. I know he's got the biggest crush on her. She's in our grade, but in a different class. "You?"

"Eh." I shrug. "I mean, I'll probably dance with Etsuko for a laugh, but that's probably all I'll do."

"I'll dance with you later," he offers easily. "I mean, this is a ball. You ought to dance with someone at least once. Besides Etsuko-chan."

I smile. "Sounds good. I'll find you later."

"And in the meantime...?" he smiles wickedly.

I tell myself it's only the combination of cider and the warmth of the room that's making my face burn. "Oh, I'll be around."

"Good luck," he teases as I walk off. I turn around and stick my tongue out at him before heading into the ballroom itself, where dancing couples turn and twirl around me. I see the music is coming from the balcony on the second floor above—they've got a simple string quartet playing. It sounds so lovely and delicate! I have to hand it to whatever class planned this—they did a bang-up job.

I can't see Ichijo anywhere, so I wander around for a bit, talking to a few students from my class, drinking some more cider. Between the cider and the number of people, it's actually quite warm inside, so I make my way onto one of the small balconies along the side of the ballroom. Maybe the heat from inside will temper the winter chill out there.

Leaning on the stone railing, I see the lights of the town beyond the lake, their reflection glittering on the water like something from a storybook. Even over the music from inside, I can hear the frogs down by the lake. All I need is a prince to show up and the illusion will be complete.

"You look a little lonely," comes a friendly voice behind me. I jump and turn and see Ichijo standing there in the doorway.

Ask and you shall receive?

"Good evening, Ichijo-senpai!" I say quickly, bowing. My heart thuds against my ribs. Good grief, get a grip, Hikari. "I have your book." I move to open my purse, but he waves his hand as though to say to leave it be.

"Keep it for a bit longer," he says with that big smile of his. Does he ever _not_ smile, I wonder? When I look askance at him, he chuckles and leans in a bit, which makes me blush again. What's with me tonight? He's not even touching me or anything! "If you give it back to me now, I won't have an excuse to stay and dance with you."

"The fact that it's a ball isn't excuse enough?" I counter. My voice wavers a bit, but I don't think he notices.

"Oh, it's a good excuse for _now_ , but see, if you keep it, I'll _have_ to come back again later."

"After dancing with me once, you might eat those words." I'm only halfway joking. I know I'm a decent dancer, but I've not practiced in heels for several months, and that makes a difference.

"If you're that bad, then I'll just have to settle for a kiss instead!"

My eyes snap open wide. What do I _say_ to that, even if he is just teasing?!

He laughs lightly and holds out his hand. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't say things like that. Shall we test your dancing skills?" I swallow heavily and reach out. His fingers are cool, but strong and confident. His other hand pulls me in close until there's only a breath between us.

Oh, god. Oh, god, oh, god, oh _god_.

His green eyes seem to be laughing at me, amused over something. Well, I'm probably gaping at him like a fish. I try to pull myself together as we start to move in time with the waltz that's now playing.

A few moments pass in silence before he nods agreeably. "I think I can struggle through a second dance with you later on."

I smile. "I'm certainly no Ginger Rogers, but I'm glad I'm not a complete disaster."

"A good thing, too. I'm not up to Fred Astaire's level of expertise." He grins. "You look very pretty tonight, Yagari-chan. That dress suits you."

"Thank you," I manage with a smile. "You look the same as ever."

He laughs at this, which was my intention, but I couldn't really have said otherwise. He's wearing his school uniform like the rest of the Night Class, and the only thing different about him is the crimson rose boutonniere in his lapel.

Our shoes tap softly on the concrete as we continue to muddle our way through the waltz. I step on my train, throwing us off-beat, and reflexively look down. This is what comes of taking dance classes in gym clothes. "Sorry—" But his shoes catch my eye: black-and-white leather oxfords. The only thought running through my head right now is that he's utterly adorable for wearing them, but I can't say that exactly. "I love your shoes!" I say, smiling up at him.

"I'm glad you like them!" he says delightedly, eyes shining. "Kaname said they were too showy."

"Well, I like them, so you can tell Kuran-senpai that they fetched at least one compliment."

"I'll be sure to tell him," says Ichijo with that playful grin. His grey-green eyes stare down at me with a strange gleam. I wonder what he's thinking.

For now, I'm too afraid to ask.

I'm spared that agonizing question when I step in a crack in the stone and lose my balance. My leg crumples beneath me and an ungainly squawk is squashed out of me as I fall against him. His arms wrap around me tightly to keep me from collapsing completely, and I'm very, _very_ aware of his hands as they move to the sides of my ribcage to help push me back to a standing position. I still have to awkwardly stand to one side as my foot remains caught.

"I'm sorry!" I exclaim. "I told you I wasn't great at this. And these stupid heels aren't helping." I'm sure I'm making an idiot of myself, babbling on apologies and half-witted excuses.

"It's all right! What's—oh, it's your shoe. Allow me." Ichijo bends down and tries to pry it loose, but with my foot still in it, that's easier said than done. "Take it off," he says, and after I do, he continues to tug at it, until the heel snaps off, leaving me with half a shoe.

We both stare at it for a few seconds, and then, I laugh. What else is there to do? Seeing my reaction, he relaxes and smiles, relieved. "Sorry about that! I guess I don't know my own strength."

"It was uncomfortable, anyway," I say, waving it off and removing my other shoe. "At least my dress is so long that no one will know!" Though my feet certainly will. The concrete is freezing!

Ichijo laughs, unleashing a silvery, delicate sound that makes my heart do funny things. I love his laugh. He escorts me over to the balcony's railing, where we both take a seat. "Did you enjoy the book I lent you?"

"Oh, yes!" I say enthusiastically, lighting up like a firefly, I'm sure. "It was excellent! But it ends with such a cliffhanger."

"When does it _not_?" Ichijo returned. "It won't be much longer until the next one comes out, though."

"But it always _feels_ like ages."

There's something unreadable in his smile for a moment. "I guess time flies when you're busy. It seems to me like the previous volume was only just released!" He shrugs. "Well, anyway. You've got _Silver Spoon_ to keep you busy."

"True!" I say with a grin. "But the third book is still on hold at the library. So I'll have to play the waiting game again."

"It'll be here before you know it."

"But it feels like forever!"

Ichijo tilts his head back and forth in partial agreement, and now his smile holds a mildly patronizing note, though I'm not sure why. "Not really. Forever is an awfully long time. And life is too short for that kind of talk."

I tilt my head and give him a questioning look. "Somehow it seems you're not talking about manga anymore."

He laughs, looking sheepish. "I talk nonsense until someone tells me to stop," he says, and looks back at me with a bright smile. "Don't mind me." Is it just me, or is his smile a little forced? Just a little, mind.

"Oh, no, it's okay," I insist. "You just seemed a little serious, is all. Is there something on your mind?"

Ichijo looks uncomfortable, now. "Well…"

"I don't mean to pry," I add hastily, blushing. Way to go, Hikari. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

But before Ichijo can continue, he is interrupted by a trio of girls shyly approaching us. The one on point is shoved forward by the other two. "Ichijo-senpai, will you dance with me?"

His green eyes open wide, his mouth slightly agape. I can tell he's unsure of how to respond, though I don't know exactly why. He wants to be polite, but… call me crazy, but I _think_ he also wants to stay with me. I shouldn't hold my breath, though. He's the vice-president of the Night Class and is rather popular.

I back off. "Go ahead, Senpai. I'd like to sit down, anyway."

Ichijo smiles at his new partner, but I could swear that he's not quite so cheerful, now, for some reason. But for the life of me, I can't put my finger on a reason why he shouldn't be as happy dancing with someone else as with me.

It's probably wishful thinking on my part.

"Okay!" says the girl, looking all kinds of happy.

I watch Ichijo's back and slow gait as he escorts one the girl back inside; the other two look at me for a few moments. The taller one leans to the other and whispers something, and they both begin to giggle.

I sigh and sit back down on the railing to stare at the lake, ignoring them both. Whatever they're saying can't be anything good; why bother asking about it? I know I'm not exactly popular, and as the scholarship student, I'm the "poor" kid on campus—not one of their club. N.O.C.D., I read in a book once. "Not Our Class, Dear." It leads to being excluded, sometimes. After three years, I can tolerate it, though it's still obnoxious.

"So, you danced with Ichijo-senpai, hm?"

"Yes, I did." My tone is all politeness. I'm not sure where this is going.

"How did _you_ manage to dance with the vice president of the Night Class?" demands the shorter, blonde girl. She's about five feet tall, wearing a skimpy pink dress— _too_ skimpy for a formal ball, if you ask me, but I suppose it's none of my business. She wrinkles her nose at me and looks at me like I'm a piece of windblown trash in her path.

"He asked me to dance, and I agreed to do so," I say in a neutral tone. It's funny how quickly you can go from cloud nine to downright exasperated.

The taller one tilts her head, making her brown curls bounce slightly. " _H_ _e_ asked you?"

"Stranger things have happened," I reply flatly, then turn around and look back over the lake. I shouldn't say anything else. I'll only end up being sarcastic and rude. As I sneak a glance back at them, I see the blonde looking a little sad, rather than indignant. I'm guessing she was jilted by someone she'd really wanted to dance with. Not that that's an excuse for rudeness, but it does make it more understandable.

After a full minute of silence, I return indoors. Now that I've stopped dancing, I'm chilly again. And there's cider inside. On my way, I see Etsuko sitting on a divan in the foyer. Cider can wait. I weave over toward her and smile smugly. "Green tea."

"Huh?"

"I want a green tea Kit-Kat."

Her jaw drops. "Are you kidding me!? I haven't even _seen_ Kain-senpai…"

"He's got to be around here somewhere," I say bracingly, scanning the room. "I'll help you look for him."

"No, Hikari, you don't have to do that!" I can tell she wants me to look for him, but that she's also gotten quite discouraged, and that if I can't find him, I should stay there and cheer her up.

But I roll my eyes and scoff at her. "Please, if anyone here actually _wants_ to dance with me, I'll eat my hat." I pause. "Besides Mori-kun, anyway."

"You don't have a hat."

"Not with me, no," I reply lightly. "I've got nothing better to do, anyway. It's no problem."

"You're the best, Hikari!"

So I return to the dance hall to look for Akatsuki Kain, but he's nowhere in sight. I'd consider asking one of the Night Class members if they didn't look so fed up with the whole affair (or if they weren't too busy dancing), but seeing as how no one was actually available or approachable, I have to make do with searching by myself.

After a few minutes, I catch sight of a familiar flax-blond head. He's too far away to call out to, but perhaps I could ask him for Kain's whereabouts. And maybe a second dance, though that might be greedy of me.

He ducks out onto one of the outdoor balconies, and I get close enough to see Kuran is there with him. I steel myself to approach them.

 _CRACK!_

Geez!

I jump. One of the glass panes in the door beside me is cracked. Well, there goes my nerve for a minute or five. Sheesh, was there just a defect in the glass or something? That's so weird. I retreat back into the ballroom, but pause as I watch Kuran's fingers curl into the stone railing of the balcony.

What's he upset about? He could get any dance partner he wants. And seriously, if he doesn't want to be here, he should just return to the dorm. It's not like it's inexcusable to not want to be at a dance.

He sort of slumps a bit, bowing his head. I can't tell what they're saying, but I can guess it's not good. Ichijo puts his hand on the dorm president's shoulder in a consolatory manner, and I inch closer to the door so as to better hear their conversation.

"…dancing with _her_? Your ridiculous infatuation has gone on long enough." My heart sinks a bit. So he likes someone already. Though that isn't surprising. Ichijo is the kind of person you'd expect to see constantly hand-in-hand with a girlfriend, the kind of person who'd cuddle with his significant other in public, and kiss her on the cheek at random and perform all sorts of goofy antics just to make her smile. He's just that kind of person.

But to think that he already has a "her" in mind is incredibly sobering.

I tell myself that it shouldn't matter, because Ichijo would never go out with someone like me, anyway. I climb trees after dark and go barefoot at dances. I'm not exactly top-shelf material. I already knew this—have known it since I first laid eyes on him—but it's disappointing to actually hear it.

Ichijo pauses before responding. "Kaname, it was just a dance."

"What is it about her that would make her so attractive to you?" Kaname asks in his velvety voice. Velvety it may be, but it's also dangerous and menacing in a subtle way. The hair on the back of my neck prickles and I wonder if I should maybe try leaving. But not yet. "You know what her family is. It would cause a scandal."

"I don't care about that."

Ichijo's words make me gasp in surprise. He… he doesn't care about family status? That's _definitely_ a good sign for me, despite the fact that he already likes someone else. I'm one of the few students here who doesn't have a CEO for a dad, or whose mother isn't an actress or an important scientist. I'm just from an average family. I got here on a scholarship. My family doesn't _have_ a status, except "average."

Kaname gives a sardonic chuckle. "I'd like to see you speak so boldly before your grandfather."

"I'm sure he'd have a few choice words for me," was the mumbled response. "Besides, I never said I was going to actually do anything." He sounds a little defensive, now. "It's just a crush, Kaname. It will pass."

I swallow. Just a crush. But he's not going to do anything about it? Why not?

Then again, I suppose that's sensible of him. After all, none of us will be at Cross Academy forever. It's wise to think beyond school, if one's feelings for someone else aren't strong enough to last.

There is a pause, and Kuran murmurs something about "something you should attend to," and I hear footsteps returning to the hall. That's my cue to leave.

What's the point of staying any longer to dance, I ask myself, and I make my way across the campus for my dormitory. I hurry—the cold cobblestones really hurt on my bare feet. The plan is to put on some thick wool socks when I get back, make myself a cup of hot chocolate, and read some manga until Etsuko returns. I have a new copy of _Black Butler_ from the library—its silliness ought to keep me occupied.

That sounds nice. I think I will.


	3. The Summons

Thank you, everyone, for being patient with me on the last chapter's coding issues! Copy/paste nightmares. Ugh.

Chapter four will be up next Wednesday - and that's when things get _really_ interesting!

* * *

I love the night. So peaceful, so quiet.

Perhaps I should reiterate that: I love the night _after_ the fans in the Day Class have finished fawning over the Night Class like they're famous celebrities. Once they're back in their dorms, I'm happy. Then, it's nice and quiet out.

Another thing, it's not necessarily the _night_ that I love—it's the serenity and solitude. The world and all its troubles just melt away when I can just sit in the branches of a tree and read my Kindle and not have to think about life. Thinking means facing life's problems when you would rather just relax.

Not like I have heaps of problems. My life's not that bad. I'm just a semester away from graduating, I've already been accepted into a few universities… really, the worst thing I have to worry about is whether or not I can manage to get above an A-minus in Chem I.

Though let's be real, the knowledge of one's privilege has never prevented anyone from stressing the small stuff, anyway. Like how someone you've got a crush on, has a crush on someone else.

The cold, wet grass turns my feet numb through my shoes as I walk toward my tree. Yes, _my_ tree. I'm the only one who ever bothers to climb trees—only one from this academy who ran around outside like a hooligan as a child, I'd wager. That's license enough to call it mine.

And it fits me so well. When I climb up to the third branch on the right, I can sit between two higher branches which serve as armrests. It's like an armchair.

Another reason to climb trees at night: if you want to read outside and don't want to get caught by the Disciplinary Committee, being hidden by a bunch of tree branches certainly helps. They're less likely to catch you when you're not on the ground in plain sight.

It's only been two nights since the ball, and it already feels like something out of a dream. I mean, would you believe it if you danced with your crush, and he seemed to enjoy it? My mind almost wants to reject it as an illusion. The only things that make me rationally respond otherwise are the facts that Etsuko, too, remembers that I danced with Ichijo, that my right shoe is broken in two, and that I recall Ichijo having implied that he's got a crush on someone other than me.

Though when I think about it, it makes sense. Ichijo wouldn't fall for someone like me. I'm not anything particularly special. As far as I know, no one's ever had a crush on me, apart from Aoi Takahashi in sophomore year. I'm normal old _me_. I guess I'm smart enough to get into Cross Academy on a scholarship, and I can sometimes make people laugh, but I don't really have a lot of particularly unique qualities, other than the fact that I can run really quickly.

I really couldn't say how long I've been in my tree by this point, but I'm getting tired and I probably should get some sleep before class tomorrow. I've got a test in Human Psychology tomorrow and I need to keep my grades up.

I drop from the last branch and land on the ground with a soft thump. But then, I hear running footsteps on the sidewalk, and from the sound of it, they're headed in my direction. Soon, I see Yuki Cross running toward me, and I freeze. Busted.

But instead of lecturing me and trying to send me to bed, she stops to stare at me with mixed fear and surprise. "Yagari-senpai! You aren't allowed out here this late!"

Well, what do I say to that? I know that as well as she does.

Cross's head turns, and her short dark hair whips into her face. It's as if she's looking for something, and is distracted.

"Good evening, miss." A calm, light, and vaguely amused voice sounds behind us, and we both turn. Is that what's kept her attention? If so, she's got good instincts. I never heard the guy approaching! "Is this Cross Academy?"

Cross says nothing, and I follow her lead. I look at the speaker. He's a little tall, perhaps, with dark blond hair and wire-framed eyeglasses. His expression is friendly enough, but there's something subtly forceful about him.

I don't trust his smile.

"I apologize for visiting at such a late hour," he says apologetically. "I meant to visit earlier, but I lost track of time at the office."

There's a rustle of leaves behind me and turn to look around. Is there someone else here, or is it an animal? Cross's voice is so soft that as I turn in the grass, I don't even catch what she's saying. I turn back. I'm getting gooseflesh, now. I don't like this situation one bit.

I could run back to the dorms. They're not that far from here.

No. I'm being irrational. Aren't I?

Who is this man? Why is he at Cross Academy, on the far end of campus? It's not like the headmaster's office is hard to find. It's on the main drive! You'd have to go out of your way to get to this part of campus. Perhaps that's why I'm so unnerved.

But when I look back again, Cross has out a long, silver rod, ready to attack. "The young lady is a guardian," says the man with a note cordiality soured by something unmistakably creepy. "Then please, tell me—"

"What do you want?" Cross demands. Her voice is wavering but defiant, like she's threatened. I mean, I feel that, too—why is this guy on the far end of campus?

Why am I getting the feeling that I should be far away from him?

My heart rate speeds up, and I gulp. Stupid adrenaline kicking in. This is nonsense.

I hope.

"Where is the other guardian?" hisses the man, and he leaps for Cross faster than I can follow.

I am _way_ too scared to scream, but before I could've even opened my mouth, Kiryu is suddenly _there_ , between the man and Cross—more accurately, Kiryu is holding Cross with one arm, and blocking the man's hand with his other, their fingers interlocked.

But that's not why I'm staring.

The man's hand was normal when I first saw him. Now, his nails are elongated, talon-like... only they're six inches long! Sharp, menacing, and completely _unreal_.

I almost don't want to believe my eyes. I mean, this can't be happening—just, can't be! What is this? How am _I_ now involved?

Technically, I'm not involved, but I'm too scared to move. I can't help but realize that this man (if he really is a man) means business, and if he actually is going to attack Cross and Kiryu, then my chances of getting out of this are pretty high. He's after Kiryu, he said—I could run back to the Sun Dorm. I could get away.

But what if he doesn't want any observers escaping to leak information of his attack? And if he can grow claws, then who's to say he couldn't also outrun me or something?

Those claws. I swallow heavily. If I run, what might he do to me?

"What do you want with me?" Kiryu practically snarls at the man, who smirks at him in return.

"Zero Kiryu-kun," he muses as he pushes his glasses up his nose. "Under order of the Senate, I have come here to execute you for the murder of the pureblood vampire, Shizuka Hio."

Kiryu's eyes widen, but it seems like he's more shocked than scared at the verdict.

But, wait—Kiryu's _murdered_ someone?!

Vampires?

What is all this?!

And that's when it hits me.

 _"Only in the presence of such a beautiful maiden fair."_

 _A white jacket is draped across my shoulders."You need it more than I do."_

 _The moonlight gleams on his white fangs as his red eyes light up in a smile._

" _Are you afraid of me?"_

 _"I'm sorry, Yagari-chan. When you wake up, you will have no memory of tonight."_

It all happened.

Everything.

Even the part about Ichijo and the Night Class being vampires.

A sharp crack jerks me out of my sudden revelation, and I watch in horror as Kiryu bends the man's hand backwards—he's breaking the man's wrist with sheer force!

The man's reddened face darkens into a nasty frown, and he snarls at Kiryu— _snarls_ , like a feral animal! "How dare you!" He swats at Kiryu, who somehow manages to flip the vampire onto his front, where he lies, unmoving.

He did that with one hand.

Should I be more frightened of Kiryu?

"Sorry," Kiryu spits out in a low voice. "I'm not willing to pay that price."

As much as I dislike Kiryu, I find myself on his side. I don't like this strange man—or vampire, whatever he is—and I'd rather have Kiryu win against him. At least I know he's reasonably safe, when not crossed. Better the devil you know.

A strangled chuckle comes from the fallen vampire, which makes me wonder if Kiryu just knocked the wind from him. "Even if you kill me," he says weakly, "you can't escape your fate. You _will_ be executed."

"This has nothing to do with you, Yuki, so get out of here," Kiryu says to Cross, who's standing at his back, rod out and ready to fight. "Take Yagari-senpai with you."

"No! I'm not leaving you!"

I suppose that means I should probably leave on my own, but I don't know if that's a good idea. If these vampires were to catch up with me before I could reach the dorms...

I look around, and five strange men, all wearing suits and glasses, surround us. When did more of them get here?! Oh, god, this is not good. I bite down on my lip. Deep breaths, Hikari. Panicking will only make this worse.

Suddenly, a rushing wind fills the area, grabbing at the edge of my jacket and blowing my hair around my face. Seven Night Class students appear, as though materialized from nowhere, surrounding the bespectacled men. Kuran and Ichijo are among them, and I also recognize Shiki, Toya, and Seiren.

Ichijo's green-gray eyes meet mine, and he looks startled. Kuran glances at him briefly, but says nothing about it.

"As the Senate is well aware," Kuran says in his deep, smooth voice, "that woman did something so heinous that we cannot blame Kiryu if he did hunt her."

Murmurs and exclamations can be heard throughout the circle of vampires, and they all kneel before him.

"Kaname-sama!"

"Kaname Kuran-sama!"

Okay, _now_ I'm even more confused. One, why are they bowing to _Kaname Kuran_? Is he some kind of noble? That doesn't make sense.

Then again, it _would_ explain Kuran's aloof and regal demeanor. He seems to have been bred for royalty, manners and all.

"Tell me," he says quietly. "Why should Kiryu be executed? To protect the so-called sanctity of purebloods?"

"Kaname-sama," says a blond vampire with a ponytail, keeping his eyes to the ground. "We cannot carry out our orders if you stand in our way. Please stay back, you and your comrades."

"This academy is dear to me," Kuran says in a slightly more forceful tone. "I do not want this place spoiled by foolish acts of vengeance by the Senate's lackeys."

"But—"

The ponytailed man is interrupted by a dull booming sound, and when I look, his arm is lying a few feet away on the ground. My hand claps over my mouth as I stare. Blood begins to pool around the severed arm and it's all I can do to keep from gagging. I can only try to stifle my horror by closing my eyes and telling myself to think happy thoughts, happy thoughts...

Kittens.

Uh, puppies.

 _Don't look._

Baby bunnies! Takoyaki! Street fairs!

 _Don't look…_

"Leave. Now." Kaname Kuran has the most chilling voice I've ever heard. I swear the temperature lowers by ten degrees.

Again, a rough wind blows through the clearing, and the Senate's vampires are gone, as if turned to dust and blown away.

I let go a shuddering breath and look around. Kuran turns to Cross and Kiryu, asking, "Are you all right?"

I'd leave now, but I _really_ want some answers. That, and my legs are feeling rather like jelly. And I'm pretty sure the severed arm is still over there. I shiver and wrap my arms around my knees.

Geez!

I lurch to one side, flailing, as I feel something on my shoulder. I look up into Ichijo's concerned face, and slowly, he places his hand back on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" Concern clouds his green eyes.

I pry my tongue off the roof of my mouth to speak. "There's an arm in the grass."

He pauses. "Ask a stupid question..."

I shiver and snuggle my chin between my knees. It's childish to curl up like this. I should have more control over myself.

I can't.

He gives a small, bracing smile. "You'll be okay. I'll stay with you until you feel like you can go back to your dorm."

I want to say thank you, but my tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth again. My eyes prickle, like I'm going to cry, but for the life of me, I'm not sure why that is.

"Takuma." Kuran's voice is louder than I expected. I jerk a little.

"Yes, Kaname?" He doesn't stand, but he does look up at him.

"Erase her memories." Kuran's dark brown-red eyes stare into mine with a mixture of pity and what looks like suspicion. Which doesn't make sense, but then again, the way this night is going, it's about the most normal thing that's happened.

Maybe I'm reading too much into his expression.

There is a pause. "Yes, Kaname," he answers in a soft voice, and I hear footsteps receding as Kuran leaves us, along with the rest of the Night Class. Except Ichijo, anyway.

Soon, we're left alone in the night. I feel a warm weight on my shoulders as Ichijo places his jacket around me and sits down beside me. Neither of us says anything. Though I'm not excited about the prospect of having my memory erased again, it might actually be a relief this time.

There's… an arm. In the grass.

Come on, Hikari. Deep breaths.

The rustling of wind through the trees is soothing. Eventually, I sigh. From the corner of my eye, I see Ichijo relax a bit. "Feeling any better?"

"Mm-hm." I nod. "Can I ask you something?"

This seems to surprise him, and he tilts his head. As his long bangs fall into his eyes, he glares at them half-heartedly before tossing his head to clear his line of vision. "I suppose so, but..." He sighs. "I'm going to have to wipe your memory again, so it might not make that much of a difference." He looks to the side for a moment before returning to meet my gaze. "Then again, I have something to ask you, too, so..." He smiles and shrugs.

I gulp. "First, could you please explain what just happened?"

"That's a very loaded question." His hands stray to the grass, where he begins to pluck at it, one blade at a time. "Zero Kiryu is suspected of killing a pureblood. Those men were from the Senate. They wanted to execute him for killing her."

There's that word again, pureblood. "What's so special about being a pureblood? I get that it's important, but how so?"

Ichijo takes a deep breath. "We have a kind of hierarchy. For those of us who were born vampires, like, we weren't humans who got changed, there are three kinds: commoners, aristocrats, and purebloods. The common vampires, well, they have a bit more human blood in their ancestry, and they're kind of in the middle of the pecking order. The aristocrats have pur _er_ blood—that is, mostly vampire blood. A lot of us have special powers, too."

"So you're an aristocrat?" I ask then, a little disappointed, but far from surprised. Why does everyone here have to be so freaking rich? Even Ichijo's an aristocrat? Who uses that term anymore, even? It's so archaic.

He nods, but his expression is a little… not bored, exactly, but nonchalant. It hits me that this is his everyday reality. That should've gone without saying, but it's like something you'd read in a book, not real life. Well, to me. Then again, I never knew vampires existed until a few months ago.

Or a few minutes ago, depending on how you slice it.

"Yes. Most of Night Class are aristocrats, except Kaname, who is a pureblood. He's like a prince, by your standards, I guess. Purebloods can command any other vampire to do their bidding."

"Figures," I mutter, and turn away.

Ichijo laughs lightly. "Do you dislike Kaname?"

I roll my eyes and look back at him. "He's trying to keep me from ever seeing you! And there's something about him that rubs me the wrong way," I add slowly. "I couldn't begin to tell you what, though. No, I don't like him." I shrug. Then I look closely at Takuma. I think he's quite close with Kaname—for one, he addresses him so informally, and judging by what he just said about purebloods, that's probably a big deal. "Sorry," I tack on a little weakly.

Ichijo nods. He's quiet for a while before he finally says, "He's not all bad. He lived with my family for several years, so I know him pretty well. He's a good friend."

There's something in his face that tells me not to continue down that line of discussion, so I move on. "So… what was that about Shizuka Hio-san? She's a pureblood. Or was, anyway."

"Yes. She kind of went insane, and slaughtered Kiryu-kun's family in front of him." He nods slowly, bobbing his head in a way that belies the seriousness of his words. "She's the one who turned him into a vampire in the first place."

"Kiryu-kun's a vampire!?" That explains a few things. So does the dark backstory, to be honest.

"Yes. I feel bad for him. His family was one of the most respected vampire hunter families in existence, but Hio-sama killed them and spared Kiryu-kun, but not before changing him."

A heavy silence falls between us as I contemplate what I've just been told. There's a faint scent of something on his jacket—I'm not sure if it's cologne or soap or just him. It's warm, subtle, and just a little spicy. It's comforting. I'm getting a hint of déjà vu.

"I still have your manga."

"Didn't I tell you to keep it?" he asks, amused.

I smile. "I thought you meant for the duration of the ball."

"It's a good thing you still have it, because after I wipe your memory, I won't have a reason to see you, otherwise," he concludes cheerfully. I feel a slight, cool weight on my hand, and see that Ichijo's own hand lies partially atop mine. I smile, and his fingers curl around mine gently. His touch is bracing. Makes me feel a bit more grounded after what just happened with the blood and the limbs and all.

"Good point." I stop, recalling the night of the ball when I eavesdropped on Kuran and Ichijo. I'd thought that he had a crush on someone else, but I'm starting to wonder if that's not true. Dare I ask? "Ichijo-kun, is there a particular reason why you want to see me again?"

He instantly stiffens. His fingers freeze around mine. I see his eyes go a bit wide, but he recovers well, smile included. "I should hope it's obvious."

"Oh, so you're just after my blood? Shame on you, preying on a poor, defenseless schoolgirl!" I tease. My voice is a little weak. I know it's not really funny, but it's about all I can manage right now. Besides, I may as well pretend to act like I'm okay.

"Well, I won't deny that it's tempting!" he announces with overdone cheeriness. His eyes grow sober as he looks at me. "In all seriousness, I like you, Yagari-chan. You're smart and funny, and very cute." He pauses and looks away towards the lake. "If you were a vampire, I'd have asked you out already."

There it is. The snag. Between the revelation of his feelings and the disappointment regarding our differences, I can't think of anything to say. And I'm feeling more than a little emotionally drained after the incident earlier.

"Not everything is meant to be, I suppose," I finally say quietly. But still, I move my hand so that our fingers are intertwined. Just tonight. Just for now, I want to enjoy this moment. I know I'll forget about it later anyway.

That's probably very selfish of me, but I can't say he's doing any better by admitting his feelings for me.

"Why did you leave the ball early?" he asks after a minute of silence.

I frown at that. "How did you know?"

"I went looking for you, but I couldn't find you. Akiyama-chan said you'd gone looking for Kain-kun."

What? I blink. "You danced with Etsuko?"

"She's your friend, right?"

I nod. I wonder how he knew that. Was he watching me from across the room or something? I suppose it doesn't matter. "Yeah, she's my roommate." I shake my head to get my hair out of my eyes. "Anyway, she wanted to dance with Kain-senpai, so I tried to find him for her, but—" I stop, remembering how I practically ran away from Takuma that night. "I couldn't find him and got bored," I finished lamely. I'm not going to tell him that I listened in on him and Kuran!

Ichijo raises a calm eyebrow.

I'm such a terrible liar.

"Why did you leave?"

"No!" I protest with a slightly guilty look, and Ichijo smiles knowingly. He stares at me, grinning, and I stare right back... I won't smile. I will not smile. I will... not... smile... no, don't, don't—!

Okay, so his smile is very infectious, and I can't help it, but I look away quickly.

"Come on," he says, laughing softly.

"I... might've overheard you talking to Kuran-senpai about having a crush on someone, and I assumed it was someone else."

That makes him laugh. "I see!" he says, and I watch as his cheeks turn a little pink.

That makes me grin despite myself, and I giggle at him. "You're blushing, Ichijo-kun!"

He smiles right back. "I was trying to convince Kaname that I'm going to forget about you, which is a lie, because I'm not going to try at all. I'd rather not." He laughs, then. "Well, I guess we're even, because I thought you had a crush on Kain-kun."

I grin. "Nope. That's Etsuko."

"I hope you'll forgive my forwardness, but is there someone you _do_ like?"

I feel like I'm back in junior high, adolescent awkwardness and all. But at the same time, those butterflies in my stomach are what convince me that this is real, that I'm actually going to get to tell him this.

Prior to Ichijo, I haven't had much experience with these sorts of feelings. I have to look away at the ground, feeling self-conscious. My face gets warm, and I nod as I bite my lip. "I… might like you."

I can't resist looking back, and he beams at me. Faster than I can blink, he leans in and kisses my cheek softly, and my attempts to not smile fail even _more_ miserably than before. Which is saying something. "Hey, Ichijo-kun—"

"Please, call me Takuma," he offers. I don't miss the slightly eager note in his voice. He's so cute.

I swallow and backtrack, smiling idiotically. "Takuma-kun, then." I take a second to gather my derailed thoughts. "Um, why are you bothering to tell me this if you're going to wipe my memory in a few minutes?"

"Perhaps it's wishful thinking on my part, but I figure you'll probably find out again, sooner or later." He smiles. "I have some plans for that, but I want to surprise you, so I won't say anything." He's grinning now, like he's excited for me to find out.

I giggle. "I look forward to it."

The clock tower on campus tolls out one in the morning, which makes me jump.  
"Oh, shoot, I've got to go to bed!" I say quickly. "I've got a test in Psych tomorrow."

"Let's not waste time, then," he agrees. "You should've told me earlier; I'd have been briefer."

I shake my head. "I like spending time with you, Takuma-kun." Besides that, I'm not sure if I could've recovered from being so scared much sooner.

He smiles softly, but that is soon replaced by a look of resignation. "I'm sorry, Yagari-chan." The grass rustles as he gets to his feet. He reaches down to help me up, but doesn't let go. His fingers are a little restless, settling and resettling around my hand, leaving feather-light touches across my skin.

"You can call me Hikari," I offer. "Not that it means much of anything now, but..."

His smile, a little bittersweet, turns warm at my words. "Thank you, Hikari-chan. Are you ready?"

I nod firmly, feeling anything _but_ ready. "As I'll ever be."

His fingertips are cool on my forehead as a familiar pink glow begins to cover my vision. "Sleep well, Hikari-chan."

* * *

I wake up the next morning with a feeling of dread. I have a test in Human Psychology in first period.

Hm. Well, lying here in bed won't do anything for that, so I get up and get ready for classes. I see the manga Takuma lent me on the night stand, and I tuck it into my backpack on a whim. I'm really not sure why, as I probably won't see him unless I attend the Night Class Parade tonight, which I won't. Though to be honest, the prospect of seeing him again is tempting, even in spite of the crowds of squealing students.

After getting a cup of coffee in the dorm canteen, I head for class. I complete my test with a degree of satisfaction, then go to Chemistry and World History, and at noon, it's time for lunch. I want to go outside, since it's actually a little warm for December.

As I walk across the grounds to take my lunch beneath my usual tree, I stop.

Takuma is standing beneath my tree, clad in an olive green argyle sweater and a pair of grey-brown slacks, smiling happily at me.

I'm frozen in place, and after a few seconds of dumb silence, finally bow to him. "Takuma-kun! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"I thought I'd come and eat lunch with you," he says warmly. "How did your test go?"

"It went well, I think," I say, sliding my backpack down onto the grass before I sit beside it. I can't help but smile at him as he joins me.

"That's good to hear!" He smiles at me and then pauses. "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Tomorrow is Saturday. Is he actually going to ask me out?

I shouldn't get my hopes up like that, but the butterflies in my stomach are going to take a while to settle down. "Well, I'd planned to stay in my dorm and read a good book," I begin, "but I could be persuaded to do something else. What did you have in mind?"

He beams at me. "Would you care to join me for dinner in town?"

My eyes go wide and I inhale. I am so glad that I didn't take that first sip of juice, because I would've choked on it. "That sounds wonderful!" I say with a grin. "Of course, I will!"


	4. Dates are Overrated

Thanks for the reviews so far! Here's chapter 4, where things start to really pick up...

* * *

It's almost seven o'clock, and I can't even begin to say how nervous I am. At the rate the butterflies in my stomach are fluttering, I'll be lucky if I can eat anything at dinner.

I'm going on a date with Takuma. A double date, actually, he explained yesterday at lunch; we're going with two of his classmates: Senri Shiki and Rima Toya. I only hope my stomach doesn't do its usual swooshy thing around them, like it does around the rest of the Night Class.

I don't know what to think about Shiki and Toya. I know they're both models, and I know that Shiki is Takuma's roommate. Since I don't watch the Night Class that often, I can't say I know very much about either of them.

The winter-bared tree branches creak in the wind. I snuggle my nose down into my scarf to keep it from being numb as I wait.

"Good evening, Hikari-chan," comes a familiar voice from behind me, and there stands Takuma, a charming smile on his face. He gestures to the two bored-looking figures behind him. "This is Senri Shiki and Rima Toya."

"It's nice to meet you, Shiki-senpai, Toya-senpai," I say with a smile, bowing briefly to them in turn. Regardless of Takuma's earlier assertion that we're all in the same grade, I don't want to presume that they'd be okay with any degree of familiarity. "I guess you already know, but I'm Hikari Yagari."

Toya's face darkens for just a moment, but she nods in a very polite manner; Shiki takes a bored look in my direction, looks me down, and nods at me, as well. "Nice to meet you, Yagari-chan," Shiki says. He may always seem perennially bored, but the way he looks at me is more like he's studying me. I suppose if Etsuko were to begin dating someone, I'd want to get to know him or her, so I guess I can't blame him if he wants to do the same for Takuma.

Takuma offers his arm to me with a smile, and we set off for the trail that will take us around the lake. It'll probably take the better part of thirty minutes to reach town by foot, but it's the only way to sneak off campus without attracting attention. Technically, upperclassmen are allowed to leave campus so long as they're back before curfew, but I doubt we'll be back by eight.

Dead brown leaves crackle and crunch underfoot as we walk down the path. It's weird taking a guy's arm—I mean, it's adorable! But it's so old-fashioned. It's not the first time he's offered me his arm, either. I wonder if it's just a quirk of his or if he's trying to impress me more.

I'm a little afraid of speaking, as I don't want to make a bad impression on Takuma's friends. No doubt my position in the Day Class has already prompted them to form a less-than-reputable opinion of me. I imagine they think everyone in the Day Class is one of those shrieking fans like the ones who worship Idol-senpai.

"You seem so quiet," Takuma observes as we walk along the lakeside.

I shrug. "You can't blame me for being nervous on the first date I've been on in ages."

"Ages?"

I think back to the last time I was on a date. During the April of my sophomore year, Aoi Takahashi took me on a "date." That is, he saved some brownies from a care package his mother had sent him and we shared them while sitting by the lake in the afternoon sun. It was all right, as dates go, but it didn't take me long to realize that I didn't feel about him the same way he felt about me, so I awkwardly avoided him for the next month until he refused to speak to me again unless it was absolutely necessary. I still feel kind of bad about that, but I didn't know how to turn him down without hurting his feelings. (Not like I didn't hurt him by _not_ saying anything.)

"A year and a half?" I finally hedge.

"I'd say you're overdue, then!" Takuma concludes, smiling.

"I've actually never been taken out somewhere on a date, either, having been at Cross Academy for the last three years," I continue. "So you could maybe even say this is my first _real_ date. No pressure," I tease him.

"Then I shall strive to provide a memorable first experience. Should I tell you what I have planned, or just surprise you?"

"Surprise me," I tell him. Which kind of surprises me. "But yeah. I'm going to be judging you tonight, just so you know."

"Should I know the criteria on which you'll be judging me?"

"Didn't you get the rubric I made?"

He makes a tsking sound and feigns self-directed exasperation. "I _knew_ I was forgetting something."

"That's a mark against, right there."

"Can I make up for it with extra credit?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I thought you said to surprise you."

"Fair enough." I smile at him. He's very fun to talk to. I already knew this, but it's nice to experience it again. I turn my gaze back to the path, and to Shiki and Toya ahead of us. They're holding hands, and it's clearly a practiced thing between them. I wonder how long they've been going out. "Tell me about Shiki-senpai and Toya-senpai. I don't know anything about them."

Takuma mulls it over for a moment. "Shiki has been my roommate at Cross Academy since our first year here, and I've known him since we were little. He's my closest friend, next to Kaname. He's the one who got Toya into modeling. They've worked together for—a while, now, and they've been dating for even longer." He pauses. "What sorts of things do you want to know?"

I frown a bit. "They seemed a bit... underwhelmed when we met up just now. I don't want to make a bad impression, I guess."

That makes him nod in understanding. "They may not seem friendly at first, but they're all right. Don't worry. They'll like you," he says with a cheery smile. His open coat waves out behind him as a light breeze from the lake heads our way. His coat amuses me for some reason. It's a deep blue-gray, double-breasted, with a high collar and fastened with a low-hanging belt. It's obviously from a designer—probably everything he owns is, now that I think about it. I've never seen any clothes like his, nor have I seen him wear any clothes that didn't look tailored to fit him to a tee.

I say this like I've seen him wear much else besides his school uniform. I've only ever seen him wearing casual clothing twice, and this is the second time. But still.

We finally reach town and Takuma leads us to a small café. To my surprise, it's just an ordinary café, nothing too fancy. I half-expected a five-star restaurant, but I'm grateful, all the same. I didn't dress for anything better than this, and I certainly wouldn't have had the means to pay for it. Even though Takuma told me that he was paying for my meal, I would've liked to have enough money to be able to cover the cost, just in case.

Upon seeing Shiki, Toya, and Takuma, the hostess bumps us up in the queue and we're seated in just two minutes. Judging by the look on her face, and the fact that she didn't once look at me, I'm guessing it's because they're all so model-pretty—literally, in Shiki and Toya's case. The other patrons don't seem happy about this development. Perhaps it's not ethical, but I'm not really complaining.

The dim lighting, presumably to facilitate a more intimate mood, is soaked up by the creamy cardstock menus. Oh, they have salmon tartare! That sounds fun. Then again, so does the andouille gallette.

I set down my menu and look over at Takuma, who's still deciding. Toya, on the other hand, seems to have made her choice.

This is a double date. I ought to make an effort to talk to them a little, and it's only going to get more awkward the longer the silence stretches.

"Toya-senpai," I say a little timidly, trying to put on a brave front. "What classes are you and Shiki-senpai taking?"

Toya, looking a little bored with the entire ordeal, says calmly, "I expect they're similar to yours, only higher-level. Macroeconomics, calculus, engineering, biochemistry, Japanese literature. English foreign language."

My brows go up. "Engineering? Biochemistry? Those sound… very difficult!" I give a wide-eyed smile of admiration, but I fear I look too impressed.

"Not really," she says with a sigh. "The issue is more trying to stay awake in class. That's the hard part."

"I know," Shiki complains, setting down his menu. "The instructors are ridiculously boring. The least they could do would be to _try_ to make things interesting."

"I'm just thankful that they even offer biochemistry," Takuma adds. "How many other academies offer it to their students?"

"They certainly don't offer it in the Day Class," I mumble, a little sheepishly. I knew it; they think we're all dumb. Not that I particularly want to study biochemistry; science has never been my forte. Come to think of it, I don't really _have_ an area of expertise. I'm good at sprinting and long-distance running, and I suppose I've got good balance and hand-eye coordination, but academically, I'm not really drawn to a particular subject.

I suppose that could make a good enough conversation starter. "Biochemistry… that's so cool. I wish I could be good at something like that. What's your favorite subject?" I look at Shiki, this time, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

Shiki raises his hand to cover a lazy yawn, and pauses before finally saying, "Art class, I guess. It's all right."

"That's just because you don't have to work at it," Toya responds flatly. I'm noticing more and more that their demeanors are really condescending, though in a subtle way. It's as though they think that the entire world is just too boring for them, and they're deigning to put up with it, anyway. Or maybe it's just me they're looking down on. "My favorite is Japanese."

"I think Statistics might be my favorite," Takuma muses, propping his chin in his hand.

Toya and Shiki both smirk at that, and roll their eyes. They _are_ a lot alike. "Predictable," Toya says with a languid smile.

"Must run in the family," Shiki drawls.

I frown in confusion, and look at Takuma for an explanation.

"She doesn't know," Toya scoffs, and she smirks again. "You didn't tell her, Takuma. I'm shocked."

"Appalled," Shiki echoes.

Takuma rolls his eyes. "Come on. It's not that important."

I frown. "What's not important?"

Toya's smile grows just a little smug. "His grandfather is the head of the Ichijo Group."

What.

The.

Heck.

I seriously want to disappear right now.

I had no idea he was related to _that_ Ichijo! Takuma seems so kind, caring, and charming, and so easy to talk to. And while he may be rich, I wouldn't have expected him to be _that_ rich. God, his family basically _is_ the one percent! I must seem like an absolute _moron_!

I begin to wonder if Shiki and Toya aren't somehow related to rich and famous families, too.

Shiki gives an amused smile that holds a very patronizing edge. "Yes, _that_ Ichijo Group," he says slowly.

Okay, Ichijo Group or no, Night Class or Three-o'clock-Slump Class, I'm fed up with Shiki and Toya. They're arrogant snobs and I'd really like to give them a piece of my mind, but I can't do that outright. Fine. I've got a thing or two up my sleeve; I'm not entirely dumb.

"Oh, yeah?" I say boldly. "Well, _my_ grandfather repairs old clocks, so."

I take it back.

I am dumb. Completely.

I'm spending way too much time focusing on Toya and Shiki rather than on Takuma, who is the entire reason I'm here. I'd thought that my comment would be funny. It's the kind of thing I might say to Etsuko if she mentions something like being bored when traveling abroad. _She_ always laughs afterwards.

Shiki and Toya both stare at me for several seconds before bursting into a fit of giggles. It's impossible to really tell by the sound of it if they're mocking me, snubbing me, or if they honestly think that I'm funny, but I'm not looking up from the table to see for myself. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they're _not_ laughing at the joke.

I hear Takuma's ringing laugh beside me, and I wish I'd had the sense to stay in the dorms and not go on this date. I _really_ wish I could learn to keep a better reign on my temper. Maybe then I could save myself from "open mouth, insert foot" moments like this.

"Hikari-chan, you're cute." I hear the smile in Takuma's voice, and he doesn't sound at all arrogant. Nothing but good-natured amusement in his voice. I chance a look at him, only to see that he's smiling broadly at me, like he really found it funny—not _me_ , but the joke. Which was the entire goal.

I feel myself blush a little and smile back. Maybe this isn't a total disaster, after all.

Dinner continues, and Shiki and Toya are a little friendlier. I catch a few derisive comments aimed at me and the Day Class, but I try to ignore them. If it weren't for my earlier outburst, I might have tried to argue back, but I really don't think it's worth the effort. After all, I probably won't end up building much of a friendship with either of them, at this rate.

After we leave the café, we split up into pairs—Shiki with Toya and Takuma with me. The plan is to meet back in front of the café by ten, which gives us a bit over an hour to do whatever we want in town.

I simply stand there under the awning of the café, Takuma by my side, as we watch Shiki and Toya go on their merry way. I hear him sigh. "I'm sorry about all that," he apologizes softly, but sincerely. "I should've known that they'd be rude, but I didn't want to think about it. I'll talk to Shiki when we get back to our room tonight."

I'm getting the idea that Takuma is one of those people who makes friends with everyone. Because he's genuinely nice to everyone, all kinds of people like him. So he's got friends who are complete jerks as well as friends who are actually decent people. Still, I wonder how he _can_ be so nice while surrounded by people like that. At least his friends' poor manners aren't rubbing off on him.

"It's okay," I say. I only mean that I'll get over it; it really wasn't okay at all. I don't want to make him feel badly. However, I'd thought that if I got along with his friends, it might improve my chances with him. Guess that idea's shot down.

"No, it's not okay," he insists. I look back at him, and he's serious. "I hope I can make up for their behavior a little. What would you recommend?"

His green eyes are searching me with an earnestness that scares me a little. "It's not a big deal, Takuma-kun!"

He pauses to think for a few moments before smiling at me. "That rubric we talked about would really come in handy, now."

I have to smile at that, and he beams in response. "It's not like it was the first time, or the last. I'll be fine."

He's silent for several moments, but he then nods his head in one direction. "Let's go."

He holds out his arm for me once again, and I take it. "Where are we going?"

Now, he's smiling. "You'll see."

Takuma leads me through crowds of people, around and past shops of all different shapes and sizes. Finally, he stops before one of the shops along the main drag and opens the door for me. Inside, illumined by dim electric chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, sit shelves upon shelves of books.

It's an independent bookstore. I can't remember the last time I was at a bookstore that wasn't a chain of some sort. It's old, has positively ancient woodwork and old furnishings, smells musty, and is generally _amazing_. The scents of old book and wood polish permeate the air. All sorts of books of every size, shape, and genre, line shelves along walls, under the staircase, _on_ the staircase. Sideways, upright, leaning against each other drunkenly—books old and new, crisp and clean or well-loved.

I'm not entirely convinced this isn't heaven.

Seeing my expression (no doubt, _glowing_ could describe it), Takuma chuckles and places his hand gently around my shoulders, guiding me forward. "Come on."

He steers me around the shelves, but I'm not even paying attention to him anymore. Currently, I'm flipping through the pages of a novel by one of my favorite authors, subtracting its cost from my pocket money. I don't really have much, and I probably won't get any more before the end of the year, so I can't overspend. It _is_ a little expensive, but I love this author! I really need to buy it!

Maybe I should wait to find a paperback version. That would undoubtedly be cheaper. If I don't buy anything else for the next three months, I could make my remaining money last, maybe.

No. I really shouldn't. What if an emergency comes up? I don't have a lot of money and I should save what I have. There's been talk of Dad's company laying people off, so… I'm not sure how much pocket money I can count on getting. I ought to save what I have for college, at least.

"Wow, that didn't take long," Takuma remarks with a quick chuckle, and I quickly close the book before sighing and reluctantly putting it back on the shelf. "Getting something else, then, huh?"

I shrug noncommittally. "I might go back to it later," I tell him. "You might want to go find whatever you want to get. If you follow me, you'll probably get bored."

He grins in understanding. He knows precisely what I'm talking about. "I get really distracted when I'm shopping for books, too," he admits. "Meet you at the front in fifteen minutes?"

"Sounds good."

I turn back to the shelf I'm at, then slowly meander to the left, my eyes scanning the shelves for any and all titles that catch my eye. I know that this will be yet another disappointment, not being able to buy anything, but Takuma's intentions are good, and it's been so long since I've been in a bookstore that it feels good to be here, regardless. After perusing some novels and several manga volumes, I head over to a shelf full of older books, which I discover are for sale at astronomical prices. Still, I can't help but be in awe of them. The gorgeous illustrations, the pressed leather and canvas covers… and they're so _aromatic_.

Yes, I love the smell of old book.

The minutes pass slowly. This is so depressing. Why can't I just have a little money? Manga isn't all that expensive. I mean, really, just one wouldn't be terrible, would it?

But I should be good.

I suppose I'm being ungrateful. I've got a roof over my head; I'm at an excellent school getting a great education; I've got dry, clean, whole clothes on my back, and enough belongings to be comfortable. When I look at that, I seem like a brat to be so sad over the inability to buy a few frivolities.

Even so, I can't help but want them.

I sigh and walk towards the front of the store to meet back with Takuma, both relieved and sad to be leaving. I know I can't stay much later, anyway—the store is closing soon.

There he is, leaning against the door like a male model. The more I get to know him, the more I realize that Takuma is so far out of my league, it isn't even funny. Note to self: enjoy our time together, but don't get too attached.

He smiles at me and holds the door open for me. He's such a gentleman; it's so cute.

"No books for you?" he asks as I take his arm once again.

I shake my head. "Not this time."

"Didn't find anything good?"

I shrug noncommittally. "Not really."

His eyes focus on me and he frowns. "Really? What about that first book you found?"

"I can probably find it in the library." That isn't wrong. At least, I hope not.

"Fair enough. You're still reading _Silver Spoon_ , right? What book are you up to, now?"

"Just finished book five," I say. "I'm at the mercy of the library's hold list. Book six has been out for a solid month."

He shakes his head. "You should've said something. I'd have gotten it for you."

Without meaning to, I smile. He's so sweet. "I don't want to seem like I expect anything from you."

His answering smile is soft. "I appreciate that. But I definitely understand the struggle of wanting to read more. Next time, let me know."

Next time! I grin and return my gaze to the road. I might be able to claim plausible deniability if I let myself walk a little closer to him, bumping my shoulder into his as we continue down the street.

Yellow lights in windows gleam here and there, letting a golden glow onto the cobbled streets and sidewalks. Hardly any of the shops are open anymore. It must be getting late, but it's nice to just meander and chat. I shiver in the chill wind, and Takuma glances over. "Where's your jacket?"

That's when I realize it. "Oh, darn it, I must've left it back in the café!" I say in a disappointed tone. I hate it when I do that. "I guess we'll have to go back and get it."

"It's no big deal," Takuma says cheerfully. "It's only a short walk." He wraps one arm around my shoulders and draws me close. His hand rubs up and down my arm. It doesn't do much for my body temperature overall, but the gesture does make my face heat up a bit. I tell myself that the sense of security I feel is just a result of my imagination running wild.

We make our way to the café, and he heads inside to retrieve the coat while I wait out front. The crowds are significantly thinner; there are hardly any pedestrians in sight anymore.

I look around the side of the café building, down the alley. On the side of the stone building next to it is an old painted advertisement for a mill company. Wonder what it sold?

I've got nothing better to do, and it's right next door, so I slip into the alley entrance, staying close to the main road.

I hear a sound behind me and turn. There's nothing there, but the alley is a little dark, so it's hard to tell. It's probably just a stray cat or something. There's a small part of me that wonders if it's wise to be in a dark alley, but I'm so close to the street that I'm not too concerned. I'm just being jumpy, that's all.

I return my attention to the old advertisement. I can't make out all the words in the faded paint—not with the light this dim, anyway. I think I see the word "flour," but it's hard to read. I'm not sure.

There it is again! It's the sound of a soft footstep on the ancient cobblestone pavement. The hair on the back of my neck prickles, and I look back toward the street. It's not exactly lit up, but it's better than down that alley.

A shiver runs up my spine and I get a niggling sensation at the back of my mind telling me to get away, get out, run away—now, now, _now_.

Cold—

Tight—

Someone's hand is around my throat from behind, and another arm is anchoring my body against theirs. How did this happen? Stupid, stupid, stupid! I shouldn't have gone into the alley. Takuma, where are you?

And now, I can't even scream! I can't do anything. I hate being helpless—hate, hate, hate it! Why can't I just keep my head out of the clouds for five minutes, enough to—

Okay, calm down, Hikari. First, figure out this guy's intentions. Is he trying to mug me, kidnap me, what?

I hear a hissing voice in my ear. "No one warned you about dark alleyways?" Something wet and _disgusting_ leaves a slimy trail against my neck, and I realize it's the man's _tongue_. Oh, geez—oh, god…

I'm trying _so_ hard not to freak out right now. It's not working very well, because I'm hyperventilating.

Come on, Hikari! You've got legs— _use them!_

I kick backwards, and the man grunts; it's only enough for him to just loosen his grip, and I start to squirm and kick in his grasp. He's distracted, now, which may give me enough time to draw someone's attention, or maybe Takuma's out of the café by now.

The sound of voices makes my captor freeze for a moment.

"…seen Hikari-chan?"

"I don't know. I thought she was with you."

"We haven't seen her."

It's Takuma, Shiki, and Toya! The man growls low in his throat (what the heck?) and slowly backs us into the shadows. They haven't seen us yet. How can I get their attention? They're so close by! The man's hand is still over my mouth, so I can't make a lot of noise, but maybe I can—

Ew, gross…

Okay, this is no time to think about what's gross. Do it.

I bite down on the man's hand, and he growls. I catch the words "stupid humans" as he mutters darkly to himself. My eyes are searching frantically for something to help me, and the man's arm tightens around my waist while the other presses down harder over my mouth. I feel myself being carried. The rough stone wall presses into my front, and he leans over me from behind, pinning me. What's he trying to do!?

No! Please, this can't be happening! Please…

IS HE BITING ME?

A very sudden and very _loud_ pain pinches at my neck and I feel his lips clamp down on my skin to suck at the bite marks.

Vampire.

Before I can think about it any further, the vampire jerks violently. His teeth are yanked out of my neck (not without a significant amount of pain) and I hear him choke and gasp for a moment before he lets go. I fall into the circle of someone's arm as an explosion of blood turns everything dark and black. There's a wet-sounding squelch and a loud cracking sound. Then, my attacker is nothing but dust.

I don't even dare to breathe. I realize I'm shaking. After a moment, I inhale sharply. The metallic scent of blood and sand is sucked in through my nose, accompanied by a spicy-sweet smell. Takuma.

Takuma rescued me.

My head turns to look at his expression. His eyes, cold with rage, are glowing a bright, luminous red. I don't even care. All I can do is clutch at his shirt and bury my face in his chest.

It takes a few seconds, but his arms wrap around me tightly. "It's all right, Hikari-chan," he whispers against the top of my head. "It's all right."

"Is this kind of thing going to happen every time we see each other?" I mumble. Guess someone biting me is all it takes for my memory to return these days.

His chest shudders with a dry, breathy chuckle. "Some first date, huh?"

"What happened?"

"A Level E vampire attacked you."

"What's Level E?"

"Insane vampires driven only by hunger. They attack indiscriminately."

Well, that explains that, I guess.

I hear footsteps in the alley and Takuma's grip on me shifts to where his left arm keeps me close, but we can both see Toya and Shiki approaching. Toya's eyes are a little wide. She holds out my coat, which Takuma takes. He wraps it around me and then resumes holding me. "Thank you, Toya-senpai," I say quietly.

She nods, but looks troubled. "This whole place reeks with blood."

Shiki grunts in agreement. "You'd better get her out of here soon or more will come. Did you have to make such a mess?"

"If I'd _known_ I would have to fight off Level Es, I'd have brought my sword," Takuma retorts drily. He looks down at himself. "What a shame. I liked this coat."

I turn to see what he's talking about, and see (how did I miss this earlier?) he's _drenched_ in blood. His entire right arm is dark, and his front is mostly covered. Even his face and hair are red and splattered. I look down at myself. I'm not much better. My shirt collar is now soaked with red, and I imagine I look much the same beneath my coat.

"We can't walk back through town like this," I blurt out, as though that's not occurred to anyone yet. "Do we call a taxi?"

"I'll call the headmaster," Takuma says as he pulls a cell phone from his pocket. "You two can walk back. There's no need for you to get in trouble, too."

Toya nods. "See you back at the dorm." She turns to me with an expression almost like pity. "Hope you feel better, Yagari-chan." Shiki nods at me, too, before they leave the alley to head back to the academy.

Takuma's phone is already at his ear. I'm so close, I can hear the ringing on the other end faintly, and then a click as someone picks up. "Kaien Cross."

"Headmaster, this is Takuma Ichijo. I need a car sent to town immediately. I'm afraid there's been an incident."

"What happened?"

"A Level E attacked one of the Day Class students. It's been sorted out, but we need to get back to campus as quickly and discreetly as possible."

I hear Headmaster Cross swear softly on the other end. "Those rules are put in place for a reason. Yes, of course. I'll come straight away. Where are you?"

"In the alley by the French café on Grant Street."

"I'll be there in five minutes."

"Thank you."

Takuma ends the call and pockets his phone. He looks at me, comes to some kind of decision, and slowly begins to sit, guiding me down with him. The sandy remains of my attacker provide a soft cushion for us. Guess he's good for something, now.

I should probably be concerned about sitting on a vampire corpse, shouldn't I? Somehow, I can't bring myself to care.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asks. I see his eyes are still glowing faintly red and I frown.

"Are _you_?" Not that I'm afraid he's going to attack me, but I also don't want to tempt fate anymore than I've already done tonight.

"Would you like me to go?" There's no note of hurt or sadness in his voice, only concern for me. Like he'd leave me alone if he thought I was afraid of him.

I shake my head. "I trust you. And you did save me just now."

He brings his right hand up to his lips and begins to delicately lick at the blood on his fingers. "I hope you won't think me terrible, but you smell so good." His eyes glow a little brighter, and he reluctantly lowers his hand.

I get the feeling he's not talking about my cherry blossom shower gel. "Maybe one day, you can taste me for yourself," I suggest, perhaps a little timidly. I really don't know what social protocols revolve around blood drinking, or if him biting me could turn me into a vampire myself, or what. "I mean, if it won't be a big deal, or anything."

He smiles at me fondly, pleased but with reservations. It's enough to tell me that blood drinking comes with certain social strings, and I don't fully understand what I'm really offering. "Maybe one day."

"Of course," I add, "that might have to wait until you can take me on a date where I _don't_ get attacked. The quota of People Who Can Drink Hikari's Blood has been filled for the night."

He breathes a laugh through his nose and squeezes me briefly. "Then I'll be sure to guard you more carefully in the future."

He grows quiet and I snuggle into his side a bit. He's so warm. "Does this mean I won't get my memory erased anymore?"

His laugh is soft and bittersweet. "Sadly, it's not my decision to make. We'll speak to the headmaster and then I'll talk to Kaname about it later. I was hoping we wouldn't have to deal with that hurdle so soon."

We grow quiet, each caught up in our own thoughts. Soon, I see the dim glow of headlights at the dark end of the alleyway, and I hear a car door click open. I can't see past the lights, but I hear footsteps approaching. Takuma slowly stands, then pulls me to my feet just in time for Headmaster Cross to arrive.

"Yagari-chan, I'm so glad you're okay," he says in a worried voice. He turns to Takuma. "Thank you for taking care of the situation, Ichijo-kun." His eyes narrow behind his spectacles as he looks him up and down. "Did you get into an accident with a Level E or did you go swimming in raspberry Jell-o?" Trust the headmaster to come up with something like that. He's such a dork. But a nice dork, I remember as he places a hand gently on my back and guides me to the car. "When we get back, we'll get you some hot chocolate while you get patched up."

There's nothing said about us breaking the rules or how we might be punished for having done so. I'm grateful that he's at least going to wait until we're safely in the car before tackling that topic. I just want to be back, safe in bed. Serves me right for sneaking off campus, I suppose.

I sit in the front and Takuma sits in the back. I'd have preferred to sit back there with him, but I wasn't about to argue about the seating arrangements. Headmaster Cross drives us out of town in complete silence. It's not until we're pulling up at the main office that the headmaster speaks.

"I called Kaname as I was leaving. He should be here soon."

Takuma just nods calmly, as though he expected it. The car is turned off and I notice I'm sluggishly weak and a bit shaky as I turn to open the door. I'm so cold. In a moment, Takuma is there, opening the door for me and offering me a hand out. He doesn't try to support me, though, once I'm standing. I'd imagine the headmaster might have a few choice words if he tried anything beyond strictly casual contact.

We're led into the empty nurse's office, where I'm told to have a seat on one of the beds. Takuma sits on a chair nearby as the headmaster busies himself with gathering bandages and antiseptics. The bright fluorescent lights make Takuma's bloodstained face and coat look worse than before. The stark contrast between his pale skin and hair and the crimson splotches is visually jarring. I don't know if I can look at him without looking horrified (of his appearance, not of _him_ ), so I pretend to study the crocheted blanket covering the bed I'm on.

"There are some blood tablets in my office, Ichijo-kun," Headmaster Cross announces. Something in his voice hints that Takuma should leave us alone for a few moments. Takuma nods and leaves.

The headmaster turns to me with his hands full of medical supplies. "What happened this evening, Yagari-chan?" he asks gently as he opens a package of antiseptic wipes, which he uses to clean the blood away from my neck.

I swallow. When I speak, my voice only croaks, so I clear my throat and start again. "Takuma-kun and I went to town to go to dinner." I can't bring myself to say it was a date, even if that's the clear implication. "We went to the shops after, but then I realized I'd left my coat in the café, so we went back. Takuma-kun went in to get it, and I waited outside, but I got attacked by... a... by a Level E."

The headmaster nods quietly, encouraging me to continue.

"I didn't know what it was at first. I thought I was being assaulted, but then he bit me. Takuma-kun saved me, but I don't know how. One minute, I was trapped, and the next, there was blood everywhere and... yeah." I really wonder how long it will be before I can just go to bed. I'm so tired. Drained. That's the word I'm looking for. I wonder if it's okay to ask for that hot chocolate the headmaster offered earlier. "I know we weren't supposed to go. I'm sorry."

Calmly, as though none of my story surprised him, the headmaster switches from wiping off blood to applying antibiotic cream to my neck with a cotton swab. "I think it's safe to say you've learned your lesson," he remarks drily. "Were you and Ichijo-kun on a date?"

"Yes."

He sighs and readies a gauze bandage and some tape to cover the area. "Should I ask how that came to be?"

"It's my fault, Headmaster," comes Takuma's voice from the door. "I've been the one to approach her in the past. She has not tried to initiate contact, so it's my fault that we've been spending time together."

Headmaster Cross's eyes narrow a bit. "I know this will seem like an invasive question, but how do you feel about Yagari-chan?"

Takuma pauses. His eyes convey a bit of annoyance at the question, but only briefly, and the look is replaced with one of understanding. "I like her. I think we get along very well, and I want to get to know her better. Yes, I am aware that she would taste good," he adds flatly, knowing or guessing that the headmaster might want that issue to be addressed, "but that has nothing to do with why I want to be around her."

He doesn't once blink. His voice is firm and he speaks with conviction. He means what he says.

I feel my cheeks heat up a bit. The headmaster turns to me. "And you, Yagari-chan?"

I swallow, unsure how to proceed for a moment. "Takuma-kun saved me." I pause. "I trust him." That's possibly not what he's looking for. "He's funny, and smart. I want to get to know him, too."

Cross sighs. "I started the Night Class with the hopes that vampires and humans could learn to live together in peace, to prove that it wasn't impossible. I never dreamed I would be successful in _this_ way. Ichijo-kun, you seem to be interested in more than Yagari-chan's blood. And Yagari-chan seems to like Ichijo-kun for more than just his good looks."

I bite back a retort at that and settle for an indignant glare, which the headmaster doesn't see. Takuma, however, bites his lip to keep from chuckling. I am _not_ that shallow. "Trust me, Headmaster, if that's all there was to him, I'd be long gone, by now," I say in a low tone.

"And I find it hard to believe that Takuma would be such a bad judge of character as to overlook a shallow personality," says a new voice by the door. Kaname Kuran stands there, looking at Takuma with one brow raised calmly. He _is_ still covered in blood. "You should clean up."

"Please feel free to use the shower," the headmaster agrees quickly. "Down the hall on the left. There are fresh towels in the linen cupboard."

Without a word, Takuma bows and continues down the hallway toward the bathroom. "Yagari-chan has already had her memory erased twice," Kuran continues as he enters the infirmary. "Considering her heritage, and that she has overcome spells on her mind twice already, I would say it is her fate to be around vampires."

The headmaster sighs heavily. "So this has been going on longer than just tonight." He gives me a look, but before I can say anything, he continues. "It's not my decision to make, but I believe her father would agree. Though I'm not sure if he'd like for her to be on _dates_ with vampires."

I frown. I'm not entirely sure what he's getting at—okay, he's right about the date thing, but what about him agreeing for me to be around vampires?

Seeing my look, the headmaster waves his hand a bit. "Your _real_ father, not your foster-father. We're good friends, he and I."

Huh. Well, that's a bit unexpected. I can't say I've ever met the man. What sort of man must he be to agree that being around vampires is to be expected of me?

"If I could have a say in my own life," I venture sharply, "I'd like to not spend the rest of my days with the feeling that I'm forgetting something. If that's anything you'd like to take into account, Kuran-senpai."

Kuran gives a tiny smirk at me. "She is her father's daughter. Yes, I suppose that can be allowed, but certain measures will have to be taken. Headmaster?"

Cross sighs dramatically. "If I allow you to remain aware of the Night Class's secret, and to continue contact with Ichijo-kun, will you actually obey the rules I give you?"

I deflate a bit. "Yes, Headmaster. Now that I know why the rules are in place, I'll be less likely to challenge them." I tug at the sleeves of my coat. This is more than just roaming the grounds on a nighttime stroll. This is about my safety, plain and simple.

"You are not to be allowed on the Moon Dormitory grounds under any circumstances," he says firmly, "and Ichijo-kun is not allowed by the Sun Dormitory. You're not allowed outside after curfew, just like always. And I'm suspending your privilege to go off-campus. However," he says quickly, before I can protest. Not that I really feel like doing that. I do deserve it. "I will set up times that the two of you may be together in my office under my supervision." After looking at me, he smiles sardonically and amends this. "I won't always be in the same room, but I'll be nearby to ensure that you aren't in any danger. Ichijo-kun may have good self-control, but he is still a vampire and you're still a human." I relax. That makes sense.

"Will you tell my foster parents?" I ask. I'd really rather not have to deal with the absolute fit they'd throw if they knew the ramifications of attending a school with vampires as well as dating one.

The headmaster shakes his head. "I don't think they need to know just yet, unless you're put in danger again."

"I have no problems with those terms," Kuran agrees. His dark eyes turn to me. "Takuma is not to drink your blood on campus. What you do over the holidays is up to you, but your blood has already caused a great deal of trouble in the Moon Dormitory this evening. I don't want any further mishaps of this sort, if they can be prevented."

I nod. I guess that's to be expected. Though can they really smell me from so far away? It's a wonder there's not been a riot in the Moon Dorm before now. Are they in an uproar every time someone gets so much as a paper cut?

"You will also tell no one about your relationship with Takuma." Kuran's eyes are hard, and I know he means it.

Okay, that's going to be a little harder to get around. I suppose I could tell Etsuko anyway, but since I'm being allowed to go through with this, I'd rather not break the rules more than I have to. Sneaking out to read is one thing, but this is a huge issue. "I won't go telling everybody—I understand that it would be problematic. But could I maybe tell my roommate, so that she doesn't worry about me? If she promises to also tell no one, that is."

The headmaster responds with a nod. "I think that's reasonable, provided that you don't tell her about the Night Class's secret or Ichijo-kun's identity."

I shake my head. "I'll just tell her I was assaulted this evening. That actually is true..." I grimace a bit at the memory, and at how easy the admission sounds. It's the forgetting that's going to be the hard part.

"I think it's also wise for you to see Ichijo-kun under the pretence of attending a special class for college credit," the headmaster adds. "Though if you wish to tell your roommate that you and Ichijo-kun are seeing each other, you may."

"Oh, we're seeing each other, now?" Takuma's voice is a welcome ray of sunshine as he enters the room. His hair is lank and damp from a shower, but now free of all traces of blood. "I suppose that means I don't have to worry about how to ask you." He smiles at me, well aware of his goofiness. I roll my eyes but smile back, anyway.

"I'll inform him of your stipulations," Kuran says to the headmaster, who nods as he rises.

"I'll call a maid to bring you a spare change of clothes for you both. And I think we could all use some hot chocolate."

I meet the headmasters eyes and smile. That does sound really good. He nods at me, then leaves the three of us behind. Takuma sits across from me on the next bed over.

"Understand that caution must be taken in this situation," Kuran says quietly. His dark red eyes bore into me. "I do not want anything untoward to happen to either of you, should your feelings for each other become widely known." There is a pause, during which I frown, but Takuma nods reluctantly at Kuran like he understands. "Yagari-chan, you are a human being. We've been at war with humans for millennia. Though relations between us are still strained, we are closer to achieving peace than we have ever been."

"And as the headmaster said, that's why the Night Class was formed," Takuma elaborates. "We hope that living in close proximity with them will cultivate goodwill and lessen the hatred and disgust we were taught growing up."

I nod slowly. "You might be taking that idea a little further than Headmaster Cross intended," I observe wryly. Takuma grins a bit but doesn't respond.

"The point is," Kuran continues, "Takuma is part of one of the most influential and powerful families in our world. While he has grown to be comfortable with humans, the majority of our world is not. It would cause more than a mere scandal. Word of your relationship _must not_ get out."

I'm getting the feeling that the consequences would be more than simply getting shunned by society. I nod, wondering when we'll hit the point where this becomes more trouble than it's worth. Sure, it's fine now, while we're just getting to know one another and while it's relatively easy to keep it a secret. But what happens when we graduate? What happens if we become close enough to want to continue our relationship in spite of the inevitable backlash from the vampire community? Is there even any reason to continue, or should we just call it quits while it's easy and no one's heart will be broken?

Not that I _want_ to stop seeing Takuma. He's adorable, kind, and funny, and so smart. There's something about being with him that feels comfortable, like it just _works_ being with him. Even if he is the grandson of the owner and founder of the Ichijo Group, and so far out of my league that I'd have to use a rocket ship to get in the ballpark of someone of his caliber.

I look up at him to see his green eyes (now with no traces of red) looking at me carefully. "I understand if you want to stop now. It's really the sensible thing to do."

"That's true," I admit. What decides it for me, though, is thinking about whether or not I'll have regretted trying or not. "I don't know if I want to be sensible."

Takuma gives a very happy smile and my heart does a little flip. "Life's much too short to be sensible all the time. I was hoping that would be your answer."

I blush as I remember Kuran's still here. "Then I will do what I can to help you," he says with a small smile. "I, too, share the burden of wanting to be with a human."

That makes me a little surprised. Pureblood Kaname Kuran, in love with a human? Goodness, there will be open riots on campus if that gets out! But I'm glad someone with such influence in the vampire world will be on our side, even if it's not important right now. And even if I don't find him the most likeable person around.


	5. Lessons

Hey, all! I appreciate the reviews I've gotten so far. Thanks again, and I'd love to hear anything you have to say about my work! Thanks for reading!

* * *

I return to the dorm as quietly as possible. I'm so tired... I just want to sleep. Cross was kind enough to make some hot chocolate after patching me up. The hot chocolate really helped, but I just want to pass out for at least ten hours.

It's after eleven on a Saturday night—who knows if Etsuko will still be up or not? Or if she'll even be in our room—she might be hanging out with someone else. I find myself hoping that's the case as I turn my key in the lock. If she isn't there, then she won't notice anything's amiss. Until tomorrow, that is, when I'll be more up to explaining everything.

My hands are still a bit shaky as I remove the key and turn the door handle. As I open the door, I see the soft glow of Etsuko's pink desk lamp. Ah, well. Guess you can't win them all.

"Hikari?"

"Nah, it's Santa Claus. Couldn't find the chimney."

"Where have you _been_?" Her voice conveys her excitement through her overly dramatic inflection. "You said you had plans, but you're never gone this late!" She's happy for me, it seems. Well, she's said it enough times: I don't go out often. She's not wrong on that point.

"We... we need to talk. About a few things."

"Ooooh? There's a boy involved, isn't there?"

Dang it, I can't keep the smile off my face!

"There _is_ a boy! Ohmigod, tell me everything!"

"As though I could escape telling you everything," I grumble, but she knows I'm only teasing. I shrug off my coat and Etsuko frowns at my school uniform.

"You didn't go see a boy in _that_ , did you?"

Oh, this is going to take a while, isn't it? I clear my throat and head to the closet to change from Cross's borrowed uniform into my pajamas. There's so much to tell, and I don't know how much of it Etsuko will even believe. As I shrug off my white button-up shirt, I hear Etsuko giggle before she taunts me. "Wow, I wonder what that bandage on your neck is covering! Way to go, Hikari!"

"Surprisingly, it's _not_ a hickey," I say with a sigh. An old T-shirt that used to belong to my dad goes on over a pair of my brother's old workout shorts, and I'm ready to collapse in bed. Or on it, rather, as I still have to talk to Etsuko. But as I lie down on the mattress, I can't hold in an ecstatic moan at how good it feels on my back.

"Hikari, stop wasting time and tell me what happened!" The mattress dips down by my feet as she sits beside me. "Who is it? Did you sneak off campus?"

I need to sit up or else I'll fall asleep. I'm still quiet. Then I remember, I have Takuma's phone number. Why don't I call him and ask him to corroborate my story? "Here. I don't think you'll believe me if I told you, so I'll have to get him to convince you." I pull out my old cell phone and send him a quick text asking if I can call for five minutes. That done, I set my phone down again. "I won't tell you who it is, but if that rings, I'll have you talk to him."

"Is it Hayashi-kun from class 4-B?"

I shake my head. I'm spared answering when my phone begins buzzing. "You've reached the offices of Doctor S. Ophagus, Ph. D., specializing in throat and neck treatments. How may we help you?"

I hear Takuma's laughter on the other end. "Well, I'm glad to see you're taking it well, all things considered."

"It's a little easier to take it when I'm safe in my room, rather than still sitting in a dark alley."

"That makes sense."

I look up to see Etsuko's wide brown eyes staring at me eagerly. "Is that him?" she mouths silently. I nod. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I don't think Etsuko would believe me if I told her we went out tonight."

"Ah, I see. You need to brag about being with the exceedingly gorgeous and rich Takuma Ichijo."

"Well, seeing as how I only _get_ to brag to one person..." I pause. "In all seriousness, considering the school rules, it's probably right that she wouldn't believe me." I watch as Etsuko's eyes grow huge at this. "Night Class?" she mouths.

"That's very true. Put her on and I'll see what I can do."

"Right. Don't tease her too badly?"

I hear a wordless exclamation of mock affront. "I'm offended that you even suggest such a thing. I am the soul of all things serious and honorable."

"Sure you are, Mister Oxford Shoes."

"Oxfords are very serious."

"Whatever you say. Here's Etsuko." If I don't cut it short, we'll never stop bantering, anyway.

She takes the phone and puts it up to her ear. "H-hello?" The phone's too far away for me to make out what he's saying, but I watch as Etsuko's eyes go wider still. " _Ichijo-senpai!_ " she squeaks. "Oh my god!" Silently, she looks up at me and mouths, "I'm going to kill you." She returns her attention to the call. "No, I wouldn't have believed her; she's right." I can start to hear his voice, but still can't discern any words. "Wow, that's fantastic! Ah, it's like she's dating a celebrity!" I roll my eyes. "Aww, you're so sweet! Haha, I'll talk to you another time, when it's not so late at night. Besides, Hikari still has to catch me up on how your date went!" She glances at me with mischief in her eyes. "Good night, Senpai."

Silence hangs in the air for a long moment before Etsuko throws my phone back at me. "You little _goose!_ I can't believe you're going out with Takuma Ichijo!"

"Keep it down!" I hiss at her. "The Night and Day classes aren't supposed to be in contact. If we tell everyone, I'll be run out of town on a rail! I don't want to get in trouble with the headmaster _or_ the students."

"Fair point. But still, oh my _god!_ " Etsuko balls up her fists on her smiling cheeks. "That's so wonderful! It's so... surreal! How'd it happen?"

I'm never going to get any sleep, am I? Now, how to best talk about it without giving away any secrets...

Etsuko and I were up for a few more hours discussing everything. I think I managed to pass off my neck injury as simply bite marks from a very creepy assailant rather than a rogue vampire's attempts at a meal. Etsuko was so taken with the idea of Takuma rushing to my rescue that she wanted to phone him again and call him a knight in shining armor, but I managed to wrestle my cell away from her just in time. Besides, Takuma and I are very early on in our dating relationship. I don't want to push the envelope too far on calling him every two seconds.

* * *

On Saturday morning, I wake up to my phone telling me I have a new email. I open it to read a message from the headmaster:

 _Ichijo-kun and Yagari-chan:_

 _You are to meet in my office from 5 PM until 7 PM on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, except during exams. Yagari-chan will be taking on a project for university credit. Ichijo-kun will be helping me with a school project at my request. Please let me know in advance if you will be absent._

 _Enjoy the rest of your weekend,_

 _Kaien Cross_

I have to wonder if it's serious, or if it's just an excuse to get us time to meet together. I don't hear from Takuma again until later that evening, when he sends me a text message telling me, _good night, sleep tight, don't let the stray Level Es bite!_ (It's all I can do to close my eyes, bite my lip, and keep from either groaning or laughing out loud.)

* * *

Finally, at four-fifty on Tuesday, I leave my dorm room, still in my school uniform—I don't know if Cross will count this as an official class where I'd be docked for being out of uniform, but I figure it's better to err on the side of safety. It doesn't even take five minutes to arrive at the headmaster's office building. I step inside, hoping I won't have to wait until after 7 to eat. If I do, at least I know I've got some microwavable macaroni and cheese in my room, so I won't starve, anyway.

The office opens into a front desk area for the secretary and other administrators, but they all leave at 4:30. It's a bit quiet. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to go back to the headmaster's office past the infirmary or what, so I peek my head down the hallway and call out. "Hello? Headmaster?"

I hear some activity down the corridor. In a moment, Yuki Cross is smiling at me from the other end of the hall. "Come on, Yagari-senpai. We're back here."

I head back to a nicely sized parlor past the headmaster's office, where Takuma, the headmaster, Yuki Cross, and Zero Kiryu are waiting on sofas and armchairs. Kiryu's glowering almost makes me want to leave. Geez, what's his deal?

"Good evening, Headmaster," I say with a bow. "Ichijo-senpai." I don't know if the Disciplinary Committee are supposed to know about our relationship yet, so I won't address him informally. "It's nice to see you, Cross-chan. And... you, too, Kiryu-kun," I tack on hastily, if a little hesitantly. You'd think someone owed him money.

"Be nice, Zero," says the headmaster, nonplussed, before turning to me. "I've explained that the two of you will be here twice a week doing school projects. I wanted you all to meet so that everyone knows the situation. Again, I must ask you all to try to keep this project quiet, as I don't want the Day Class to cause a fuss. And may I remind you, Zero, I will be with them the whole time, so you don't have to worry."

I frown. Is Kiryu upset because the headmaster is allowing a vampire and human to be in close quarters? (It would make sense, given what Takuma said about them last week.) Because if so, that's actually kind of sweet of him.

"Come on, Zero," says Yuki brightly. She tugs him to his feet and drags him away. "Let's let them study while we go have dinner."

Dinner. My stomach rumbles at the thought. I can only hope Takuma didn't notice, but—I see him hiding a grin behind his hand. Dang it.

With the Disciplinary Committee gone, the headmaster sighs. "I apologize for Zero. He really means well." He gestures to the coffee table, where I see a pair of folders waiting. "I've prepared a project for you to work on. Yagari-chan, you'll be working on a thesis about the history of human and vampire relations. The focus will be on forming theories to bring the two to political and social peace." He pauses. "That sounds quite daunting, but don't worry. There's a rubric explaining what I'm expecting."

He turns to Takuma. "Ichijo-kun, you'll be helping to tutor her on the subject, and helping her gather materials." I raise my eyebrows as he nods. Well, okay, then. "This project is due by the end of April. If you see it through, Yagari-chan will have three credit hours of university level political science."

That's not daunting at all.

"I realize that this is taking up your dinner time, Yagari-chan, and your breakfast, Ichijo-kun. I'll be preparing a meal for you each time you're here." He smiles. "Tonight, it's stir-fry, my style. Happy studying! I'll be next door in the kitchen, if you need me."

With that, he leaves. There's a pause. I let out a breath. "So, hi!" I finally say. Takuma grins and pats the spot on the sofa next to him. I cross the room to take a seat.

"Hello, yourself. Is your neck feeling better?"

I try to be less aware of the scant inches between us as he leans toward me. I instinctively turn toward him as he reaches up, as though to touch my neck. His hands stop just above my skin as he sees the bandage still there, just visible over my collar. "It still looks pretty nasty, but it doesn't hurt so much anymore," I say. The Level E bit down really hard when Takuma stopped him. I was lucky he didn't take a chunk of me with him.

"I'm glad it's stopped hurting a bit, anyway," he says as his arm falls to his lap. "I get the feeling the Disciplinary Committee isn't supposed to know about us."

I nod. "Yeah, I got that, too. At least we get to spend a bit of time together, anyway."

He smiles. "And it's not long until winter break, when I can take you on a date where you _aren't_ frightened for your life."

I pull a funny face as I'm torn between laughing and groaning in exasperation. "Yeah. I'm only giving you a second chance because you're cute, you know." That was a little bold. Instantly, I look down at the folders on the table to avoid his gaze. "Besides, you might not be so keen after trying to teach me." Yeah, right. I'm actually a pretty decent student—I have to be to stay here on an academic scholarship. But I had to say something after that "cute" comment. Note to self: maybe try to be classy and don't throw yourself at your crush.

"Really? I think I'm quite well off. I get to play teacher to a pretty girl in a school uniform!"

My jaw drops. His innocent smile with those words! I know he's only kidding, but that's so terrible! I don't really know what to say, so, as I feel my cheeks heating up, I turn away and say, "That's not what I meant..."

He chuckles and gives me a wink. "I'll ease up on the teasing. For now, anyways. We should get to work. There's a lot of ground to cover." He reaches for my folder just as I do, and our hands brush. I really hope I'm not blushing, because that would just be too much like a teen romance film. He smiles and abandons my folder to retrieve only his own.

I open my folder to see a few printouts and scans of documents talking about vampire history. There's also a sheet from the headmaster, a set of instructions with tips and ideas to think about, as well as a small rubric on the criteria on which I'll be graded. I'm not sure how I'm going to get credit for this, whether the credits will be from Cross Academy or what, but I suppose that doesn't have to be found out immediately. That isn't the point.

I can read my papers on my own time, if I must, so I look up. I'd just as soon talk to Takuma while we're both here. "What did you get?" I ask, trying to peek at his folder. He playfully holds it so I can't see the contents of his packet. Well, if that's how he wants to play, I won't give him the satisfaction. I shrug and sit back down. "Be that way. I'll be over here reading."

"Ah, and here I was hoping to have fun!"

"I know perfectly well what you wanted, Dorm Vice President," I say primly, wondering if he'll see that I'm trying to play around, as well—but a little more safely. I can just imagine me trying hard enough to see his folder that we both go sprawling on the couch, or he tickles me while I'm off-guard, or some manner of us getting physically close. As tempting as it might be, I am not about to toe the line when we've just been given a chance. Not yet, anyway. I realize we're on thin ice, and I don't want to have my Takuma-seeing privileges revoked so soon. "You're a _scamp_."

"A scamp?" he repeats, looking shocked. He pouts, just a bit. "That hurts. I'm trying to tutor you out of the goodness of my heart, and you hurl names at me."

I giggle, losing my prim and proper facade. "You're such a dork."

His faux-crushed look is lost and he smiles, too. "Yeah, I really am. It's nice to be with someone who will be dorky with me, though. The Night Class thinks they have to be on their best behavior around Kaname, so it's not very fun over there."

"Well, we'll have to make up for lost time. To the extent that we can while we're studying." I tap my folder against my knee meaningfully. "You're the only vampire I've ever spent time with—it's hard to imagine a war between humans and vampires when you're basically just a goofy twelve-year-old. Next thing you know, we'll be building blanket forts to study in."

His eyes go wide and he looks at me like he's only just now realized I'm here. "I've always wanted to build one, and my grandfather would never let me."

My jaw drops. "That's just about the saddest thing I've ever heard!" I pause, wondering if it's wise to actually attempt to make one in the headmaster's parlor. But then again, desperate times and all that. Never been in a blanket fort before. "Do you think the headmaster will let us?"

"I can always bring blankets next time, and we can find out. It's a well-known fact that studying is always more fun in a blanket fort."

"I'm _so_ glad you agree."

Soon, the headmaster calls us in to dinner—just Takuma and me. The Disciplinary Committee isn't joining us, presumably because the headmaster wants to talk to us about my thesis. And, as it turns out, the ground rules for Takuma and me. Which includes no touching. I ask him about that—I mean, we're allowed to date, but not touch?

The reason for that is, "Because I can't prevent you from considering yourselves in a dating relationship, but I can put rules in place to protect the both of you. Especially you, Hikari-chan."

I frown. "Then why bother giving us a chance to spend time together, if it could... endanger me? I guess?" Even getting those words out feels weird. Takuma's _right there_. And I hope he knows I don't believe he'd ever hurt me.

The headmaster rests his elbows on the table and knits his fingers together. "Because you two are proof that peace between vampires and humans is possible."

The flippant side of me wonders if that can be the focus of my thesis: _My Date with a Vampire_ , by Hikari Yagari.

"Ichijo-kun will explain this to you at greater length, but vampires and humans have warred for centuries. My goal is to try to bring about peace." The headmaster pauses, and his expression darkens. "I've known atrocities on both sides of the fight. Humans are just as guilty and disreputable as vampires, and vampires are just as capable of love, compassion, and kindness as humans. I want the world to see that. If the two of you can overlook your differences and still want to be together, perhaps others will follow your lead."

It takes a few seconds for the notion of me as a trailblazer to sink in. "Then why play babysitter for me?"

"Honestly, that's more to protect you from outside incidents." The headmaster sighs and gets to his feet slowly. The plates clink as he stacks them together and carries them to the sink. "If you were to get a paper-cut, or if you were to trip and cut yourself on something, the Night Class would be in an uproar. Kaname-kun trusts Ichijo-kun, and therefore I do, too. It's mostly _because_ it's Ichijo-kun that I'm allowing this at all, as that trust does not extend to the rest of the class. I am fond of them and want to believe that they're capable of self-control, but I don't want to compromise anyone's safety."

That makes more sense. I nod slowly and look over at Takuma, whose green eyes are staring at me thoughtfully. His expression is hard to read.

"I don't want this to sound like the two of you are now locked into a relationship," the headmaster continues. "If either of you wants out, for any reason, feel free to do so at any time; hang the essay. I want the world to know—in time—that it can work. So while we must exercise caution, and while I don't want to put pressure on either of you, I want to do what I can to help you."

* * *

I can't believe it's finally Thursday evening—I thought it would never arrive. I shift my backpack a little nervously as I head down the halls of the administrative building toward Headmaster Cross's private parlor, where Takuma and I have been meeting. I knock softly on the door, and I hear the headmaster's voice. "Come in!"

The hinges are silent as I open the door. Cross is seated in his usual chintzy armchair at the end of the coffee table, this time wearing pink slippers and a green shawl. He smiles warmly at me. "Good evening, Yagari-chan!"

I bow. "Good evening, Headmaster." My backpack slides off my arm a little too quickly, owing to its extra bulk. I'm hoping the headmaster doesn't notice how I'm hefting it toward the couch—it's full, but not heavy with books.

"All ready for another night of studying?" he asks with a teasing grin.

Smiling, I nod and carefully reach into my backpack for my notebook, folder, and a pencil. "You know me—always ready to learn new things." Okay, so that wasn't exactly playing along, but what do you say to something like that? I've never really gotten the knack of responding to teasing adults. There's something slightly off-putting about it. Maybe it's just that I don't like needled about my love life.

There follows a brief silence. Since Saturday night, I've wondered about Cross's assertion that he's good friends with my birth father, as well as how he got the notion to start a school full of vampires and humans in the first place. But we're still in the small talk stage. And I can't ask about dinner, yet, either.

I'm saved by the headmaster. "How were classes today?"

"Oh, just the usual." I shrug. "We're reading _The Tale of Genji_ in Japanese Lit. It's something else."

Cross grins. "Has Ueda-sensei assigned you to make a family tree, yet?"

I bite my lip and nod slowly. Cross nods along in understanding and commiseration. "That was an exercise in futility!"

We both smile for a moment, then grow quiet. Cross looks at me seriously. "Yagari-chan, since Ichijo-kun isn't here yet, I want to make sure that you know you can come to me at any time. I know you may have questions, or you may need someone to talk to about vampire culture—someone who isn't Ichijo-kun." He stops and gives me a gentle smile. "I want you to feel safe, so my door is always open."

That's awfully nice of him, and it _does_ make me feel better, even if I can't quite imagine not feeling safe around Takuma. But it's comforting, all the same. "Thank you, Headmaster," I say quietly.

Footsteps sound in the hallway, and a gentle knock precedes the door swinging inward. Takuma's blond head pokes in, and he smiles warmly at us. "Good evening, Headmaster. Hikari-chan."

My answering smile is probably all sappy. Since when did I go all gooey? Well. At least I get to spend time with him without sneaking away. I'm okay with lowering my chances of getting attacked again.

"Since you're both here, I'll leave you to it," says Cross, who gets to his feet and heads toward the door. "Tonight, I'm making ramen—my style!"

And with that, we're alone.

"Good evening," says Takuma, and before I can stop him, he leans in to kiss me quickly. Just a peck on the cheek.

Geez! Since when did I blush so easily? "The headmaster said no touching," I mumble, but my heart's not in it.

He grins at me. "The headmaster doesn't have to know."

"I can see I'll have to keep a close watch on you, since you can't behave yourself."

"Oh, please do. You have beautiful eyes—any excuse to see them more often!" Again, he leans forward and places a quick peck on the tip of my nose.

Okay, so the second I get back to my dorm room, I'm going to be smashing my face into my pillow and squealing in glee. This boy is too much!

I look down at my backpack and swallow. Something to get him out of the room for a minute. "Um. Takuma-kun, would you mind getting me a glass of water?" I ask a little meekly, hoping he can't see inside my bag.

His eyes hold a question, and I know he can tell I want him gone. But he stands and bows in a courtly fashion, one arm out in a flourish. "Anything my lady commands."

The second he's out of the room, I dive into my backpack and pull out a bedsheet and a string of fairy lights. Right there, between the chaise and the armchair. That should be the perfect spot.

Takuma's back with a tray of water and some biscuits before I'm completely finished, but though I notice he obligingly took his time. All that's up is the bedsheet and the string of lights, but I've got a blanket and a couch cushion in hand, ready to make our blanket fort comfortable.

Takuma stops in the doorway and smiles broadly at me, eyes bright. I don't know what it is about this smile, but it's different from usual. Happier, more carefree and genuine. Not like he doesn't normally mean it when he smiles, but this is spontaneous. Straight from his heart. "I can't believe you did this."

I grin back at him. "I had to try. You said you'd never been in a blanket fort. That _has_ to be fixed."

"Thank you, Hikari-chan."

Soon, we've got a comfy little nest set up. Everything is pillows, blankets, and couch cushions, and the soft glow of the fairy lights turns everything into an enchanted storybook. Takuma looks so relaxed. I'm so glad I took the time to do this, even if Headmaster Cross might protest later. Though I made sure to set it up so that we could sit fully up without touching or lying down. That has to count for something.

I tuck my blanket around my middle and settle into the pillows around me, trying not to lose my notebook among the cushions. Takuma sets his folder and notes aside, like he doesn't need them. Perhaps he doesn't—this isn't new history to him; this is the history he grew up with, just like I grew up with Japanese history. "Last time, you wondered how Level Es are dealt with, and I told you that aristocrats take care of them, mainly. That's partially true."

"I thought about that after we left," I interject. "Wouldn't fear of purebloods, who obviously changed them into vampires, keep you from doing anything about them, or trying to investigate them from time to time? Like, what if you killed a pureblood's new best friend or something?"

He nods. "Exactly. It's not always that we're trying to ignore the threat that purebloods pose to humans, though that does happen with some aristocrats. It's that many of us are afraid to look too much at their actions to keep from offending them."

"Gotta stay on their good side?"

"It does help to, yes."

"So why do you have to stay on their good side? Besides the fact that they're powerful."

I watch the glint of the fairy lights reflected in his eyes. "Purebloods have the power to command any vampire to do their bidding."

I frown. "Like, socially, or..." I pause and twiddle my fingers a bit. "Magically?"

He smiles. "It's not magic, per se, but it is one of the powers born into each pureblood. They can enthrall other vampires."

"Does Kuran-senpai do that with the Night Class?" I ask. It seems like he holds an awful lot of power—he might be bending others to his will.

Takuma's expression sobers, then. "No. Never. He wouldn't do that."

I blink. I can sense I've crossed some kind of boundary. "You're very quick to defend him."

His answering smile is a bit rueful. "We grew up together. He's my oldest friend, and I know him pretty well. Kaname is not like other purebloods in that regard—he doesn't force his powers on others, not even when one of us steps out of line." Takuma pauses, gathering his thoughts. When he continues, his voice is slow, his words measured. "You should know that saying anything against a pureblood is—well, it's just not done. Even when a pureblood is unstable or violent, only other purebloods can deal with them."

All this is very important, but I'm too busy thinking to write anything down. "So that's a social thing, not a magic-power thing."

He nods. "Right. But if you suggest that a pureblood is doing something immoral, or if you bring up their shortcomings, well, you'll offend whoever hears, and if the wrong person hears you, you might find yourself on the receiving end of a vengeful attack, or even at a Senate hearing."

"So there's a senate?"

"The Senate is our highest form of government, formed after Kaname's great-grandfather abdicated and abolished the monarchy." He shrugs. "Some countries have their own local governments, but the Senate is global."

Wait, what? My mouth forms an O for a moment before I gather enough words to speak. "You said Kuran-senpai is _like_ a prince. You never said he was _actually_ a prince!"

Takuma looks away as he thinks of what to say. "That's because the monarchy ended, so he's technically not a prince. Or king, since he's the last of his family. But the vampire community still treats him like royalty. A few still remember those days and are anti-Senate, and wish that Kaname would reinstate the monarchy."

"So what would be the point of that?"

"That's a very complicated question, but by and large, and I can't speak for everyone, it has to do with their attitude toward the Hunters' Association."

I frown. "That that raises more questions than it answers."

His smirk is adorable. "I thought so. There's an official Hunters' Association and everything, where they train vampire hunters to, well, kill us."

"You're so calm about it, it's scary," I remark flatly. It's true. If there was a force of people on payroll dedicated to wiping out my race, I'd be a little on edge about it.

"There are laws governing what they can and cannot do, and how and what they're taught. They're supposed to kill Level Es, or anyone who's become a threat to humanity, but they have to choose their targets from official lists, which are vetted and approved by the highest-level hunters, and sometimes by the Senate. Yeah, there are special circumstances, but that's pretty rare. The consequences for killing someone not on the list are very harsh."

"So they're like police?"

"A bit, yes, but they don't just enroll in hunter academy. They're born. Vampire hunters are a race, not a career."

"So it's genetic, like vampires? Huh."

"Yes. It runs in families. Kiryu-kun is a hunter, actually—from a very respected line. His teacher is also one of the top hunters in existence." Now, it might just be me, but there's a funny glint in his eyes now. I don't know what to make of it.

"Can I ask what your thoughts are on this senate-monarchy debate?" I give him a questioning look, and prepare myself to backpedal.

His posture is a little stiff, now. "I think that the Hunters' Association is important, and as an aristocrat, I can say that it makes my job a little easier. Theoretically, the Senate is supposed to govern us fairly and be truly representative of the interests of vampires worldwide, though in my opinion, it's kind of a corrupt old boys' club."

"So are you pro-monarchy, then?"

"Not exactly," he says. "I think that it would be too easy for any one ruler, especially a pureblood, to prioritize purebloods' interests, which could lead to more Level Es. It would also contribute to larger gaps between classes, and..." He shrugs. "There's a lot I could say on that subject, but I should probably talk about other things, first!"

I realize this isn't just theoretical for him—it's his political world. I'm not sure why this makes him feel ill at ease, like if he's got relatives in politics or something, but I sense I should back off. "Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable," I say. "If you want, you can quiz me on my political views!" I grin in an overly cheesy way. Not like this makes up for it, but maybe it'll help relieve the tension.

"I'd rather quiz you on your views on cuddling in blanket forts!" He winks.

Thank god we're back on familiar territory. "Oh, I'm very pro-cuddling, provided it's outside the headmaster's private quarters." I draw myself up, putting on an exaggerated prim-and-proper attitude.

Dramatically, Takuma raises one hand to his forehead. "Alas! You're leaving me bereft of your delightful company. Whatever shall I do?"

"Find a girl with looser morals than I, thou scamp!" I can't hold my serious face anymore and begin to giggle.

Takuma's light laughter is so wonderful to hear. "Here I was hoping to wear you down. Ah, well. One day, we'll be able to exist together without rules or supervision."

"And then?" The words are out of my mouth before I can think to stop them. Way to be subtle, Hikari.

"Then," he says softly, "I'll be able to take you on a date without sneaking out." His eyes are soft as he looks at me, a new sobriety in his gaze. "We can hold hands, and I can put my arm around you. I can study the way the moonlight lights up your eyes. And the world won't end if I do."

It's such a beautiful picture. "That sounds perfect."

"How's it going?" comes Headmaster Cross's overly cheery voice. He bounds into the room, then stops as he sees us sitting in our blanket fort.

I shift awkwardly in my pillow pile and give what I hope is a winning smile.

The headmaster crosses his arms and stares flatly at us both. "So what's this? You both look like the cat who got the cream."

"He's never been in a blanket fort before, Headmaster!" I say quickly. By the time I realize that perhaps I should've elaborated on that a little, the moment has passed. Well, I suppose the headmaster understands what I'm getting at.

It seems he does. Slowly, his smile grows. "I see. It was very noble of you to fix that, Yagari-chan. Next time, perhaps run such plans by me first."

I nod. That's what I thought—better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. "Of course, Headmaster. My apologies." Of course, I know I probably can't pull off this sort of behavior twice. At least this was all in a good cause.

"I never thought I'd see a member of the Night Class in a blanket fort," Cross says slowly.

"It's such a comfortable way to study," Takuma says then. "I'll recommend it to my classmates."

"Along with pillow fights and pajama parties?" Cross asks drily, but he's clearly still amused. "Well, if you can talk your classmates into any of that, you're a better man than I. There are certain Night Class students I can't quite picture getting into pajama parties." Cross then draws in a deep breath and claps his hands together. "Right. Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Do you need tea or any snacks before then?"

I shake my head, and Takuma says, "No, thank you, Headmaster."

"Very well. Happy studying!"

"He's like an indulgent father," I say slowly after he's gone. "'Look at you two crazy kids, getting along so well! Do you need any snacks? An increase in your allowance? A pony?'"

Takuma laughs. "He's worked for peace for over a decade, now. Finally seeing the possibility come about has to be a big deal for him."

"Only a decade? He certainly doesn't look old enough for that..." There's a question—how old is Headmaster Cross, anyway? He looks fresh out of college, though he acts... well, like an indulgent father!

Takuma smiles and shrugs. "He's older than he looks." He draws in a deep breath and holds it. "But that might be a lesson for another day." There's a look of remembrance in his eyes, but it clears quickly enough and he smiles at me. Cross, part of a lesson? How is he involved in the world of vampires? But I don't get a chance to question it as Takuma continues. "Let's talk about hunters."


	6. Going Home

Home for the holidays at last! And about time, too. I thought finals were never going to end. It's so nice being back home with Mom, Dad, Natsuko, and Kaito.

And it's nice being in my own room again. I love living at Cross with Etsuko, but I've missed home.

I still don't want to bother to do my laundry. I can wait a few more days—there should be some clothes in my bureau that didn't make it to Cross that I can wear tomorrow. A quick check on my phone tells me that Takuma's texted me a few times already, one to say that he made it to Aido-senpai's home, and another to tell me that he misses my smile. Which is pretty adorable of him. Though that's sort of what our relationship has become—Headmaster Cross's physical contact embargo has made our conversation more about Not Flirting and seeing who can make the other smile the most. We've made it into a game where if you can make the other person smile, you get a point, so we each try really hard to not smile, but we both end up getting a few dozen points a night.

I reply. _Home. Avoiding laundry. Aggressively not smiling._

If Natsu gets wind of this, she'll never let me hear the end of it. What's he look like, how cute is he, does he play sports, blah blah blah… to say nothing of what Kaito would say if he found out. Or Mom, or Dad.

The pressure wouldn't be on quite so much if there wasn't the whole vampire issue.

Honestly? I'd _love_ to tell them about Takuma, I really would. Even if everyone's reactions _would_ be annoying. But it seems like I shouldn't let on until I'm sure we have a shot at having a real relationship and not something out of _1984_.

As Takuma's busy hanging out with friends, I can't say I'm not surprised when I get a prompt reply barely thirty seconds later. _Let me know when you're free. I need to take you on a date where you don't get almost killed. And where maybe we could hold hands without the world ending._

The smiling factor is increasing. _2 points to you. Will have to get back to you on plans. So far only plans are family over Xmas—have to ask Mom though._

 _You're getting a few points, too._

My smile widens further and I have to hold in a small squeak of happiness. This whole dating thing is not doing anything for my sanity or my keeping a clear head, but I have to admit that it's pretty fun.

I leave my phone on my pillow and head downstairs to find my mom. She's the one who knows the plans around here.

Sure enough, she's in the living room, curled up on the couch with a manuscript and a red pen, editing another boring textbook, I bet. My bare feet make tiny slaps against the hardwood floor as I enter. She looks up at me and smiles, which makes me smile back. Mom's got such a beautiful smile. "Hi, honey."

I want so badly to tell her everything about Takuma, though I shouldn't mention him at all. What can I even say about him? _Hey, Mom, can I talk to you about my boyfriend? I can't tell you anything about him except he's rich and really nice and I like him._

"Mom, when are our plans for Christmas? I'm trying to make plans with a friend."

She thinks for a moment, closes her book, and says, "Christmas Day aside, we're going to visit the shrine on New Year's, and your aunt is coming by on Thursday. Does that give you plenty of time to plan?" I nod, and she leans her chin in her hand before continuing. "You usually don't plan too much over the holidays. Who are you meeting?"

I should tell her.

But I can't.

I just can't. What is there to say?

My dry tongue fills my mouth, making it difficult to swallow. "Just a friend from Cross. The headmaster is having me take a special course with another student, so we've gotten a little close." It's not untrue.

"I remember—the political science course, right?" I nod. She smiles and reaches for her book again as I take a step back. "Well, let us know when you'll be busy, in case we make more plans."

"'Kay. Thanks, Mom."

"Of course, dear." And she returns to her editing.

I pause. A weird sort of swoop goes through my stomach. I feel guilty. I know why, but it still doesn't make sense. I didn't say anything untrue. How I wish I could tell her all about Takuma, how happy I am when we're laughing together, how clever and kind he is. How when I'm with him, I feel like everything's going to be okay, no matter what.

I swallow down a wave of guilt. "Hey, Mom?" She looks up. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Hikari." I don't know what she sees in my face, but it's enough to make her put down the manuscript and stand up.

I wrap my arms around her neck like I used to as a kid. Her arms are tight around me, warm and soft.

I don't let go for a long time. If Mom wonders why the sudden sentimentality, she doesn't say anything.

When I get back to my room, I don't check my phone to see if Takuma's texted, nor do I tell him what days I'm free. Instead, I dig my laptop out of my satchel and boot it up to get online. Maybe messing around on YouTube and Reddit will help take my mind off of things.

Maybe this... thing with Takuma wasn't the best idea. It was easier to think that Takuma and I had a shot at being a couple while at Cross, when neither of us had to contend with the real world.

It's so hard to even think that. We get along so well, and when he smiles, or when he makes me smile, it makes my heart go all funny and my stomach does this whooshing thing when I see him. He's genuinely witty, but also quite silly in all the best kinds of ways.

But Takuma and my friends and family... They're in two separate worlds, and I'm trying to keep one foot in each.

I just... I want to talk to someone. Takuma makes me so happy, but I can't tell really anyone about it, besides Etsuko, and I'm even keeping half the story a secret from her. I just want to share this happiness with my family. That shouldn't be too much to ask.

As I flop over onto my bed, it creaks harshly, scooting a little across the floorboards. My eyes stray to my phone. In a few moments, my fingers are flying across the keypad. _Busy on Xmas Day, this Thurs, and NYD. How soon can we meet up?_

* * *

 **Meanwhile, at the Aido mansion...**

I send a quick reply to Hikari: _Can't meet for a few days; want to meet up Sunday evening?_

Sunday is the twenty-third. It's not actually Christmas, but close enough to be sufficiently romantic, right? I hope so, anyway. I can still get a bucket of fried chicken, if she wants something simple—that's what people do on Christmas, right?—or we could go to an actually nice restaurant, maybe. Whatever she'd prefer.

"Takuma, you're ignoring us," Hanabusa points out in a disapproving voice.

"I'm a _guest_ , Hanabusa. I am not being entertained, and must therefore resort to technology to assuage the deep ache in my soul from your lack of hosting skills." I give a dramatic huff and sink into the sofa nearby. I turn to Rima, who's sitting opposite me on a chaise, glued to her phone. Probably texting Senri.

But of course Hanabusa wouldn't call out Rima's behavior. She's like this all the time.

I can't help it that my mind is on Hikari. I wish she could be here now. Of course, that would require her to be a vampire, and not a vampire hunter. Not that it matters, either way. After that disastrous double date, I'm not sure she'd be immediately comfortable with the Night Class.

Though even if she were a vampire, she'd still face some prejudice, heritage notwithstanding. She made a blanket fort for me. The girl who does that isn't exactly the best to rub elbows with most of the vampire bluebloods.

I smile as I remember the glow of the electric string lights on her skin, turning her into a golden doll, and I have to stifle a chuckle as I remember Cross's words when he discovered us. I turn to Rima. After all, I should be social. "Do you like pillow fights?"

Her eyes meet mine, and are dull with muted disbelief. "Why would anyone like pillow fights?"

Hanabusa makes a loud, derisive noise, and gets up. "Stop clowning around. Just because your grandfather was so strict doesn't mean you have to let loose at every given opportunity."

He's right. I don't. But I like not being serious. My grandfather would think it the end of the world for himself or any of the Ichijo family to be anything but somber and dark. But humans always seem to laugh and have fun, and it's a _good_ thing. Why shouldn't vampires be like that?

Aido crosses his arms as he continues. "We all _know_ your grandfather is a dictator. I mean, Kaname-sama practically ran away from your home."

"What brought this on?" I ask, unable to let his observation, however true, escape unremarked-upon.

Kaname abandons his armchair to stand, his demeanor very insincerely apologetic. "I'm sorry, Aido. It must be so taxing having to deal with a homeless classmate." I keep from smirking as I realise I am the only one who knows he's kidding. Everyone else looks like they're not completely sure whether or not he's serious, except Hanabusa, who fumbles loudly for an apology.

There's only one thing to do in situations like this.

I dart to Kaname's side to cling to him theatrically. "Kaname, Hanabusa is being so _mean_. He keeps making nasty comments, even though he knows I can't do anything about my grandfather!" There. Hanabusa's facial expressions should keep us all entertained for a good five minutes after that. To drive the point home, I spare Hanabusa a wide-eyed, stricken look.

Kaname gives Hanabusa a deadpan stare. His nails scrape slightly against my scalp as he runs his fingers through my hair. I'm not sure if we could be more accurately described as an old married couple or as a comedy duo. His voice is low and quiet when he speaks, but he's got Hanabusa's full attention. "Hush. We're relying on Aido's charity, so we're in no position to complain."

I edge a little closer to him, probably wrinkling his shirt as I grasp at it a little more tightly for effect. "O-okay..."

Rima scoffs and turns to Akatsuki. "This happened last year, too."

Akatsuki sighs over the sound of his cousin protesting that both Kaname and I are much wealthier than his family is. "Yeah, well, it wouldn't seem like the holidays without it..." Akatsuki says in his deep rumble.

As much as I like winding up Aido and having fun with everyone, I can't help but let my thoughts stray toward Hikari again. I wonder what she's up to. Probably just spending time with her family—she seems to love her foster family a lot. It's good she has loved ones to spend the holidays with.

Me? I'm lucky—I've got my friends. Without them, it's just my grandfather. He's not one to put anyone in the Christmas spirit.

A mental image of Hikari and me pops into my mind. We're wrapped up in warm sweaters in front of a fire, opening presents by the Christmas tree. Cuddling, giving each other cute gifts, teasing, maybe kissing... perhaps some tasting...

Maybe next Christmas?

"Takuma?" I am pulled back to reality by Kaname's voice. "You can let go of me now."

Am I losing it or what? I decide to play it off. "Kaname, you don't want me anymore!" I let go anyway and spin away, dramatically gesturing with one hand to my forehead. "Let me just crawl into my bed and die... alone..."

But really, if I'm going to be daydreaming like this, it might be nice to be alone. Get some blood tablets and call Hikari. Or possibly just pretend like I've not fallen head over heels in crushdom over the daughter of the most powerful vampire hunter alive.

Sunday night can't come quickly enough.

Now to figure out how to spend the next few days here without arousing everyone's suspicions. I should talk to Kaname about how to best play it off, but considering how I went behind his back to ask Hikari out in the first place, I'd just as soon talk with Senri about it. But he's home with his mother, so that's out.

The guest room I've been put in is very comfortable. I'd expect nothing less from the Aido family. Everything is ivory and gold, velvet and silk. For a moment, I wonder if I'm going to be consumed by the eiderdown as I sit on the edge of the mattress. It's so cushy.

I check my phone again—it's not on vibrate, or else everyone would hear it go off. Hikari's reply is waiting for me, has been for a few minutes. _I can't wait. I guess I should leave the planning to you. Is that okay?_

That's fair. In fact, I'd been hoping she'd allow me to plan our date—gives me a chance to better impress her, let her know that I can show her a good time without endangering her life. Maybe a quiet dinner at a French restaurant would be nice. Or we could go to a trendy bistro, or—does she like seafood? This could be a little tricky. Especially with it being the day before Christmas. And she can't stay with me, even in a spare room, since I'm staying with the Aidos. Even if grandfather wasn't in the picture, I shudder to think of her reaction to our main estate. It's intimidating and austere in the same way that water is wet. A hotel is also out—even if we had separate rooms or just separate beds... No. Not for our first date. First _real_ date.

Day date it is. Much as I'd rather not be out and about in the sunlight, it's the only way to spend an appreciable amount of time with Hikari. Maybe I can talk her into one or two more dates over the course of the holidays.

But then I'd have to explain to my classmates where I'm going so often...

If I pass it all off as Ichijo Group business, maybe I can make it work. My grandfather has already started introducing me to the business, having me sit in on attend meetings and talk with less important clients, so it's plausible.

A tapping sound makes me look up, and I see Kaname leaning against the doorjamb. "You've been texting Yagari-chan tonight, haven't you?" he asks. I nod. Kaname enters and closes the door behind him. "When will you see her?"

"We're talking about Sunday. I thought I could spend the day with her."

Kaname runs a hand through his dark hair. The mattress sinks to one side as he sits down next to me. There's a moment where he glances at the comforter, as though surprised at its softness. "This is the first time I've seen you get excited about a date."

I snort. "With the matches my grandfather tried to work out, are you really surprised?" I flop back onto the bed with a sigh. "She's... she's a breath of fresh air. Refreshing."

Thank god Kaname and I are as close as we are. I don't have to worry about him thinking I'm a poetic sop. Well, I sort of am, I suppose. But Hikari is like a ray of sunshine when everything else in the world is so sinister and dark—the antithesis of what I should want. I don't see why it has to be that way.

"I'm going to blame having to conduct business with humans so often for my having different tastes." Not that it's remotely the reason—Kaname can attest to that.

He lies down beside me. I feel the warmth of his body and twist my head to lay against his arm. I like feeling the solidarity and closeness of him. For the first time, I wonder if Hikari would think me strange for being so touch-oriented. Not that it matters right now, I suppose.

"That, and Ichio," says Kaname softly.

"Mm. Do you ever feel that way about Yuki-chan?"

Kaname is quiet for a little. "Yes. She makes me feel... 'refreshed' is a good word for it." I get the impression that his feelings for Yuki are the driving force behind his allowing me to see Hikari. "I hope your date with Yagari-chan goes well."

"Thank you. I hope to see you and Yuki-chan have the same opportunity."

He doesn't respond. He doesn't need to.

* * *

A/N: It's a thing in Japan to order a bucket of KFC at Christmas! It's a little weird, but it's a thing.

My headcanon, and the way I'm writing this, is that this world is a post-apocalyptic future of the earth, and that it takes place in northern France. However, Japanese culture is superimposed over any existing French culture, which blends elements of both, much in the way the manga does (though I'm guessing the manga is slightly more Germanic than French). So this is why we have Western architecture, food, clothing, and even school schedules, juxtaposed with the Japanese elements (most specifically, how the characters interact with one another). Thanks for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	7. Holidays

I know the last chapter was a little short - this one's a bit longer. Enjoy! Any feedback/reviews are highly appreciated!

* * *

I study the flaking green paint on the bench I'm sitting on. My fingernail itches to peel it up a little, but I keep my hands folded. No need to fidget. No need to look like I'm nervous and restless.

I'd told Takuma that my train was to get into the city at 11:37, so I'm hoping he'll be here to pick me up soon for our second date. Or first real date. Let's call that first one a practice run.

A quick tap of the keypad on my phone tells me it's now 11:45. So he's not crazily late.

Maybe he just realized we're fighting a losing battle with this dating thing and that I'm—no, _we're_ not worth it. It'd be sensible of him, and I couldn't fault him for that.

I need to calm down. I'm just not good with down time. It gives me too much time to think.

Another shadow of a passerby falls across my feet, but this one stays put instead of flashing quickly past. "Do you come here often?"

I look up to see Takuma standing in front of me, a small bouquet of white flowers in one hand and a beaming smile on his face. My answering grin is probably big enough to crack my face in half, but I can't help it. "Every now and again. Don't recall seeing you here before, though."

He reaches down to help me up, but doesn't let go of my hand. I'm okay with that. After weeks of not being allowed to touch, sparks jump around in my tummy as his thumb traces a small pattern on the back of my hand. Just that little touch alone is enough to make me go all gooey. "I'd definitely remember a handsome face like yours," I continue. "So maybe I should be asking if _you_ come here often."

I feel his lips trying not to smile as he presses them against my cheek briefly. My face heats up as I blush.

"Hi," he says softly, grinning.

"Hi."

"Are you hungry? I thought maybe we could have lunch first." He leads me through the station and out into the crisp December air. The cold wind stings my cheeks and I nuzzle my nose down into my scarf.

"I'm a fan of food," I respond. "I'm also a fan of the warm indoors."

"Let's get a cab, then."

The cab ride is over quickly. I try not to act too stiff as I ask how his holidays have gone so far, and I can see he's a little overly polite as well. I guess that's the price we pay for having a cabbie listening in on our conversation, though I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling a bit weird about it. With the newness of "us" and all.

Though it's not like we've actually ever been entirely alone at any point in our acquaintance, except once in a dark alleyway while we were covered in blood, so I'm not sure what the big deal is.

By the time the cab pulls up at the restaurant Takuma picked out, we're rather quiet. Takuma pays for the cab before we get out. I figure I can at least offer to make it up by paying for part, if not all, of our meal. My gut feeling is that he'll decline my offer, but I should offer anyway. It's only fair to not rely on his wealth, right? (I _knew_ it was a good thing not buying those books back on our first date. Now I have a little money.)

We're seated quickly enough in a small, dark restaurant at the ground floor of an old high-rise building. The kind with limestone sculptures of laurels and mythological faces on the façade and old elevators with cage doors. It's very cozy and close, all deceptively stiff-looking booths which are actually super comfy.

At this point, the silence has gone on far too long and I have to make a show of staring at the menu. This is what I get for thinking too heavily of what-ifs while waiting for Takuma instead of having brought a book to read. I guess I didn't think he'd be late enough for me to justify bringing one.

For heaven's sake, it was eight whole minutes.

"So... what are you thinking of getting?" Takuma finally asks.

"Not sure. I wouldn't say no to the pumpkin and leek soup, though."

"That does sound good. I think I'll go for a sandwich—have you ever tried a Monte Cristo before?"

I shake my head, frowning. "That doesn't involve revenge on a roll of salami or something, does it?"

He smiles, which quickly turns to a small chuckle, like he can't quite hold it in. I have to smile in return. I'm so glad he got that joke. It was a bit of a gamble, saying something so zany and, well, nerdy. "It's very unhealthy. It's a ham and turkey sandwich with cheese, grilled, then fried, and you dip it in raspberry jam."

"Ah, now I see the appeal—it involves dripping red carnage."

"Well, it wouldn't be a proper date if we didn't somehow reference gore and violence."

I roll my eyes at that one. "On that note, I'll stick to my vegetarian soup." His eyes narrow for a flash of a moment—I almost didn't catch it. I narrow my gaze in a silent question, unsure I even saw that fleeting look.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"Should I not be?"

He shrugs, but it looks a little forced, somehow. "You're doing better than I expected with regards to our first date."

Ah. My mouth stretches into a small smile without my meaning for it to. "I can't say I like dwelling on the memory, but so far, I'm surprisingly nightmare free."

On that note.

All right. We could sit here all day, being all awkward, or I could just get the big question over and done with. I've been thinking about it far too long to dismiss it, at this point. "I do have something that's been nagging at the back of my mind."

"I shall do my utmost to ease your worries."

"You're _too_ kind." I give him a mock-serious inclination of my head before taking a moment to compose my thoughts. "It's about us." Oh, god, I really shouldn't bring it up after we both came out here, and if this conversation goes one way, well, I could be trying to catch the 12:15 train home. "We can talk about it later, or..."

His green eyes are surprisingly sharp as they stare back into mine. His pale white fingers lace through one another and remain motionless on the tabletop. Several moments pass before he speaks. "While serious questions aren't fun, they sometimes need to be asked." Those white hands part so that one of them can reach across the table to hold mine gently. "It's okay."

This conversation I've practiced in my head now leaps out the window and I'm left with one thing I want to know. "Why me?"

Takuma blinks and leans back just a bit. "That wasn't exactly what I was expecting."

I sigh. "Not _why me_ in the sense that—never mind. I mean, why... why am I worth it? Or am I? It's going to be really hard to keep this up for long, so what made you go forward instead of ignoring me and, I dunno, keeping this confined to a few journal entries?"

"Or a few cold showers," he returns quickly, winking with a playful grin.

I snort as I giggle. "That's horrible!" I yank my hand back from his to cover my face as I compose myself. That was the tension breaker we needed.

There's a pause as I look at him expectantly, and he hesitates. Although at this point, it's less hesitation and more him prolonging the silence. He doesn't avoid my gaze, though.

"Because you're everything I'm not supposed to want," he finally says.

That actually raises more questions than it answers. "How do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, if this gets out, the phrase 'playing with one's food' will be the only thing said to me for weeks."

Now, I could be wrong—I mean, I don't _really_ know Takuma that well—but if I didn't know any better, I'd say that's not even remotely part of the issue at hand. How to put this nicely? "Takuma-kun, I think this will work a little better if we're actually honest. I don't want you telling me things you don't want to say, but I'd appreciate it if you'd respect me enough to say there's something you don't want to talk about."

Those green eyes go barely wider as his whole body freezes in place. Maybe it's just me responding to his reaction, but I don't move, either. "Of course. Please forgive me, Hikari-chan," he says quietly, slowly composing himself. That's the only word for it, composing.

"Why are you surprised?"

"Because I don't know if even Kaname would have called me on that, and you just did after knowing me only a few weeks."

That could mean a few things: he's surprised I have the guts to do so, or possibly that I've just observed something that his closest friend either wouldn't have picked up on or wouldn't have cared enough to say anything about. After a moment, I say, "Well, I don't want the same things from you that Kuran-senpai does."

Looking the picture of affected casualness, Takuma nods just a little. "I'm guessing you're asking me why we're bothering because you've been struggling with that question yourself."

My head bobs up and down a bit. "I like you a lot, Takuma-kun. It's just hard to see where this is going. With the human-vampire juxtaposition."

"Good word."

"It was the vocabulary pick of the day on the radio." My hands twist nervously under the table. "As to where my thoughts have led me, I just don't know. I trust you not to, y'know, maim me or anything, so that's not even part of the issue. But when you were asking me about when we could meet, I talked to my mom, and I sort of had to lie to her. And it hurt a little. Not that it's a huge sacrifice at this stage, but I don't want to lie to my family _forever_. And what happens when we go back to campus and aren't allowed to touch? We can talk, but we can barely flirt, can't hug or hold hands, or spend time together without a chaperone. This is it, from now until spring break. And it seems a little..."

"Pointless?"

I nod. "Not that I don't enjoy your company without being able to hold hands! But..."

Takuma nods and his hand moves forward, but he stops. "Vampires like touch. A lot. Even just innocent things like leaning your head on someone's shoulder. If you were to stop by the Moon Dorm sometime, you'd think we'd look ridiculous, all sprawled over one another. Believe me when I say I understand that not touching is hard. Even the small stuff." His smile takes on a playful flavor. "So we should take advantage of the holidays!"

I scoff at him. "I _knew_ you were just after my virtue, you wicked boy!"

"I have _some_ honor!" he protests archly. "I was going to wait until the third date for that. Speaking of, are you free tomorrow?"

It's about all I can do to keep from playfully smacking him across the table, so I have to settle for a teasing remark. "Maybe I should be worrying about having lied to my mother about the wrong thing."

"Almost certainly," he replies with a teasing grin.

There's a lull for a few moments. I'm not sure if that eased my worries at all. "Takuma-kun, I'm still a little... uneasy about this. I know it's very early on, but I think we're either going to have to be more open with each other, at _least_ with the why we're bothering question, or else find a way to see each other on campus."

Those pale green eyes are so sharp. There's something in them that makes me freeze, almost like a deer in headlights. "I think this is a good time to think about getting takeaway and finding a private place to talk."

I nod in agreement.

A few minutes later, we're walking out of the restaurant with a small brown bag full of our lunch. We're walking quickly but quietly though downtown, weaving in and around until we reach a pocket park, a secluded little area reclaimed by some group of gardeners and funded by some big corporation. It's relatively private. That is, the traffic provides some white noise and no one else is there. No one's likely to look in on us, either. Just a couple sitting on a bench in the park outside.

We divvy up the food—a sandwich wrapped in parchment paper and a Styrofoam cup of soup—and I can't help but snuggle up to Takuma. He puts his arm around me and holds me close. It's a little warmer than sitting further down the bench, I guess. That's my story, anyway.

"If we want to keep dating, we'll have to go behind the headmaster's back," he says abruptly.

"That sounds about the long and short of it," I agree. I'd rather not break this particular rule, though. I'm there on scholarship, which could get taken away, which could jeopardize my plans on getting into a good university, which would also have to be on a scholarship. I've already started applying, and I've been accepted into a few, but nothing is finalized yet. That could all be taken away if I were suspended or expelled.

Sneaking out to read is one thing. Sneaking out to be with my vampire boyfriend, when the headmaster is already putting an inordinate amount of trust in the two of us, is another thing entirely.

But Takuma _might_ be worth it.

"What about the Disciplinary Committee?" I ask.

"I can talk to Kaname, and ask him to speak to Cross-chan for us."

"And the small matter of Kiryu-kun?"

He sighs. "I'm not sure what to do about him, but I'm sure something can be done. After all, I _am_ clever." He smiles at me playfully.

"Ah, I forgot I was in the presence of the omniscient Takuma Ichijo."

"For shame, madam. The impertinence."

"How- _ever_ will you punish me?" I ask before I stop to wonder how that would sound. Immediately, I blush, though I'm not sure if he can tell, as my cheeks are already probably flushed with the cold.

He laughs out loud and kisses my cheek quickly. "I'm sure I can come up with _something_. How about a quick nibble?" His mouth goes lower toward my neck...

A rushing sound fills my ears and I can't breathe. Green and grey mottled patches... red like blood... blue and gold circles, like the aftershock of seeing a light.

The next thing I know, his hands are gripping my upper arms and he's staring at me intently. "Hikari-chan, it's okay. You're okay. I'm sorry. You're all right."

A quick shake of my head helps bring me back to reality. What just happened? Did I... did I pass out, or was I just closing my eyes? And for how long?

"Take a deep breath."

I inhale deeply, hold it in for a moment, then release. Oh. Now I'm a little dizzy. Was I hyperventilating? Wow, I need to get a grip, seriously. Little white specks fly and pop in my line of sight.

"Are you okay? Do you need to lie down, or should I take you home?"

I take another breath before I respond. "Clearly I'm in need of a hug."

His smirk is a tainted with pity as he draws me close, arms holding me securely. "I'm sorry."

I want to say that he didn't know better, that neither did I. I've never been through anything like our first date, so I've never had a post-incident freak-out like that. Instead, I just lean my head against the soft wool of his coat and stay there, letting my soup get cold.

I trust him, and I know he's just teasing. Why did that make me go all loopy for a second?

After a few minutes, he backs away and reaches for my lunch, offering it back to me. It's still a little warm in some places, so I swirl it around and take another spoonful. The warmth and sweetness are kind of helpful, actually.

"I'm sorry," I finally say.

The little voice in the back of my head wonders why I'm bothering to apologize for something that is in no way my fault. He's already apologized and doesn't need to repeat himself on that point—I already know he feels bad and won't do it again, and that he can't have known I'd react like that in the first place.

"Don't be," he says quietly. "It's not your fault."

"I know." Maybe what I'm really sorry about is the now-very-present implication that I'm afraid of him. I'm not. But I'm afraid of what he _could_ be, of the world he comes from.

"This might be my cue to walk you back to the train station," he says after a moment. His voice is carefully free of any negative emotion, but it's not entirely cheerful, either.

"No, don't," I say. "Please, no. I need to do something. Get my mind off this. Let's... let's finish our lunch and go shopping or something."

"Fair enough. New sweaters usually make me forget about bad things."

I grin at that. "New sweaters are a cure for a great many things."

The sad thing is, I know that this is our last date. I hadn't been ready to make the decision until now, but I think I finally see what my brain was trying to tell me for the past few days.

I can't date him.

As much as I really like him, like the butterflies he makes me feel, of the little smiles, private jokes, and the thrill of the smallest brush of skin—his cleverness and kindness, his perception and his charm—all of that... it's not that he's not worth it so much as I can't take it. Not after the incident in the alleyway. I feel like a bit of an idiot for not recognizing sooner that I'd be affected by that, but I don't know how I could've known, or that I'd go crazy about it a full month after the fact.

"Takuma-kun?"

"Yes?" He takes my empty soup cup and his sandwich wrapper and places them back in the bag.

"I think it would be easier if we were friends."

He pauses for a moment, but then stands. There's a small rubbish bin a few feet away, where he gets rid of our lunch remains before returning to me. I stand up, slowly, and stare at the ground for a moment. But Takuma doesn't deserve my cowardice, so I make myself look him in the eyes. "I don't know if I can get past this. Not right now, anyway."

Takuma nods. "I wondered why you hadn't said anything yet."

"Because I didn't know," I admit.

"That's completely understandable."

"I like you and I want to still be friends, and we can keep up the poli-sci course and everything. If you want."

His smile, usually bright, is subdued, but somehow more genuine for it. "Of course. I like you, too, Hikari-chan. I'd like it if we stayed friends. Do you want me to walk you to the station?"

Call me crazy, but when you fall off a horse, you get right back on, so your final riding experience isn't a bad one. I shift my weight to one foot. "Do you want to just... hang out the rest of the afternoon? Finish our last date?"

"Ah, yes, we must prove to the world that I can take you out and the sky won't come crashing down on us!" He grins and offers me his arm, which I take, and we head back to the street. "I believe there was something said about new sweaters?"

"The sweaters are paramount. I demand at least one good sweater out of today if we have to go to every shop in town."

"Your wish is my command."


	8. Suspicions

Hey, all! Happy reading - and I'd appreciate anything you might have to say! Reviews are the best way to keep me motivated to continuing the story!

* * *

The air is cold, even underground, and smells tangy, like engine grease. There's only so much of this bench I can sit on without getting pigeon waste on my jeans, so I keep still as I wait for Etsuko to arrive.

It's just been four days since I broke up with Takuma. It doesn't hurt any less now than it did after I went home from our last date.

I couldn't take not telling anyone. The restlessness from breaking up was sort of clawing me from the inside out, so I called Etsuko, who told me she'd get on the first train today to come see me, if I'd pick her up at the station.

Thankfully, I have the best older brother ever, and Kaito agreed to drive us to and from the station.

"Hikari?"

I look up to see Etsuko striding through the ticket stiles toward me. I stand up with a tired smile.

She drops her bag on the ground beside me and hugs me so tightly I can't breathe for a moment. "You ninny. You should've called sooner."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Come on," she says airily, wrapping her arm around my shoulders as we start towards the car, which Kaito's keeping warm for us. "We'll make brownies and you can spill everything."

"There's a lot to spill," I mutter, but keep the story to myself until we're back in my room. Etsuko's sitting cross-legged on my mattress while I'm in my desk chair, wrapped up in a fuzzy purple blanket.

We're silent for a while, but I can see that Etsuko's tense, itching for me to tell her the details. Where to begin? I swing from side to side in my chair as I wonder what to say.

"What happened?" she finally prompts.

I swallow heavily. "I broke up with him," I say at last.

She blinks at me, speechless for a moment. "I must not have heard you correctly. You did _what?_ "

I look up at her. "I broke up with him."

If my insides weren't so knotted up, I'd have laughed at the look on her face. If shock were energy, the world could run for a year on that one expression.

"Why in the world would you do that?! I thought _he_ broke up with _you_!"

"Because..." All right, moment of truth. There's a point at which the need for secrecy needs to bend to my need to talk to _someone_ about this. And as long as I don't tell everyone…

As long as Headmaster Cross doesn't find out, rather.

I twiddle one corner of the blanket in my fingers, feeling the hard nub of multiple layers of fabric folded over in the hem. "You can't tell anyone, okay? I'll be expelled for even telling you this if it gets out, so please believe me when I say I'm not making this up."

Etsuko's eyes are wide. "Okay."

"Takuma's a vampire. The whole Night Class, they're all vampires. That's why we can't interact with them."

She pauses, thinking over that information. "What?"

I shrug. I can't say I wasn't expecting skepticism on her part. "I know—it seems impossible. Seriously, think about it—they're nocturnal, they're beautiful, they're smart…"

"Which might be because they're older than they look," she says slowly.

I nod. "Exactly!" Come to think of it, I never asked Takuma when he was born. He could be fifty for all I know, though that seems unlikely.

"We're all weirdly attracted to them, too," I add.

She gives this a few moments' consideration. "I mean, it fits, but I don't know if I buy it."

"That's fair." Can't blame her. "But next time you're on campus, watch them closely. I'll bet you see weird signs. Sometimes, someone's eyes are red. Or, or… something will just feel _off_." Though maybe that's just me.

Etsuko frowns. "Wait a minute—so when he took you to town that time on campus—"

"That wasn't his fault," I interject. "I was attacked by a creep in an alleyway, but he was a vampire, too."

"That does make a bit of sense, all things considered. And I stress 'all things considered,'" she adds in a low tone, giving me a narrow-eyed look. "But why haven't we found out about vampires before? Are they the only ones in existence or something? You'd think _someone_ in the world would know about this."

I nod—I'd had the same thought. "You'd think. But you know that class I've been having with Takuma? The headmaster is having him teach me about human-vampire relations. Vampires _hate_ humans, which is why the headmaster is allowing Takuma and me to be together, because he thinks peace is possible, but no one's really tried it much until now."

"So was hate sex Ichijo-senpai's motive, or...?"

Though I'm sure she can't be serious on that point, I screw up my face and shake my head. "Fairly sure that's a no."

"Fine, you're right," she mumbles absently. My space heater hums faintly as we both say nothing for several moments.

"So… vampires?" Etsuko says again, incredulous and skeptical. "Seriously?"

I let the blanket fall off one shoulder and pull down my shirt collar so that she can see the scar there. "What else does this look like?"

Etsuko gets off the mattress and pads over to inspect it. "I mean… it's not someone like someone got dental surgery to pretend to be a vampire, right?" she asks shakily. Slowly, she returns to her spot on the bed, this time, looking pensive.

"They're really real?" she asks.

I nod. "I know. I don't know if I would've believed it if I hadn't seen it myself."

"How did you find out?"

The memories of a jacket draped over my shoulders and conversations about manga fill my mind. "We met when I was out reading."

"In your tree?"

I nod again. "Yeah. We talked a little, and I scraped my knee, and he didn't do anything, but his body… reacted."

At the memory of Takuma's red eyes and sharp, white teeth, I tug the blanket a little closer. He didn't hurt me. He would never hurt me. But he _could_.

I raise my knees up and rest my nose between them, curling my toes over the edge of the chair. "I just," I finally begin, "I freaked out. When we broke up. He teased me about... um..." My hands begin to mime something pointlessly as I fumble for words. "Drinking my blood. And I freaked out. I know he won't hurt me but I can't be around that kind of thing for a while. Not after what happened in the alley."

Etsuko nods slowly. "That makes sense." Her voice is soft. "And it probably didn't occur to you until then because you weren't really in a position to talk about it or consider it until the holidays."

"Probably," I agree. I look up at her. "You know, I'm actually not even worried about wondering if he's going to hate me. Why is that?"

"I don't know, but it's better that way," Etsuko says sagely. I must say, she's taking this rather well. Not sure if she believes it, but she's taking it in stride. "It's not your fault, or his, and this was something you needed to do. You don't need to guilt-trip yourself into something stupid on top of being traumatized."

Traumatized. She's right, but the word hadn't crossed my mind until now. I'm a victim of trauma. Sheesh. How's that for a fun twist?

The bright red pattern on Etsuko's sweater draws my absent gaze as I consider this. I am now the bearer of emotional baggage. And it's not going to get better immediately, since I'm still going to be in touch with Takuma on a regular basis. Why did I agree to that again?

Well, maybe because I didn't see a reason to not continue Headmaster Cross's poli-sci course. It's just an essay. And really, there's no reason why we can't be friends, as long as we keep some healthy distance between us for a while—like now, over the holiday break.

Maybe this freak-out thing will pass and we can... I don't know, act like normal friends? I'm not sure what I'm hoping for where Takuma Ichijo is concerned. I like him. He's clever, funny, and sweet, and I suppose it makes sense that I'd want to be friends with him, but if it makes me flip my lid...

"There's nothing wrong with backing out of touch with him if I have to, right?" I ask.

"Of course not," Etsuko says firmly. "You do what you need to do to protect yourself. If you want to keep seeing him at the headmaster's office, then do that. If that's too much, then tell him. The headmaster said you could stop, right?"

I nod. "At any time, for any reason."

"Then just play it by ear. Hikari, do what you need to do."

* * *

The rest of Christmas vacation passes in a blur. I seem to be mostly okay—I haven't even had any nightmares.

I haven't talked to Takuma since our last date—he said he'd wait to contact me until I did first, or until we met up at school. So far, I think that's worked well for me. Not having any contact with him meant it was easier to think about Christmas lights and New Year's Eve and being with my family. My mom was so great over break. We played Cluedo with Natsu, Kaito, and Dad—it's the first time we've done that in years, and it was good to play again. And Mom and I went to lunch at our favorite sushi restaurant after New Year's and had a nice long talk about school and work and life.

I told her about Takuma. Just a little—I mean, I skipped the vampire bit, but it was nice to tell her that we went on a date and it didn't work out. She hugged me and we watched a movie at home afterward, just the two of us.

I'd missed her more than I'd realized.

Today, Dad's driving me back to Cross Academy today, and classes start up tomorrow morning. A day to move back in and then it's nose to the grindstone once more. I watch as the familiar lines of trees zoom past the windows, grey with winter gloom.

"Your mother told me about your date," says Dad eventually. We're about an hour from campus.

My mouth stays firmly shut for a few moments as I think of how to phrase my response. "Yeah. He's really nice, but I don't think it would have worked out. We said we were going to stay friends."

"Did he mean that or do you think he was just being nice?"

"I think he meant it, but I guess you never know," I say soberly.

"You know, your mother and I had a break while we were dating," he says. I look up at him. "We went on a few dates and it didn't work out. We weren't classmates, but we were schoolmates. And then, a year later, we went out again and we've been together ever since."

I nod at this. "That's a nice story, Dad, but one date with Takuma doesn't mean anything, and I don't feel particularly like it's the end of the world." I sigh heavily. "It does _suck_ , though."

His grip on the steering wheel changes as he pulls into a turn lane toward a petrol station. "I didn't know if you might want a little bit of hope right now. It can be tough, even if you only went out once or twice."

I smile. "I don't think I can have too much hope. Thanks, Dad." It may not be a particularly helpful speech in my case, but it was a nice thought.

Dad pulls the minivan up next to the pump and we both get out, him to gas up the van, and me to grab a pair of cheap knit gloves inside—my hands are cracked and chapped from the cold, bleeding a little, even. That takes all of a minute, so I walk around a bit, stretch my legs as Dad heads inside to go to the toilet. I head toward the edge of the concrete parking area, staring at the trees nearby. We're in the middle of nowhere. Those woods are sort of creepy and I'm very glad it's daylight. I'm not normally one to be jumpy but that alleyway incident has left me a little skittish.

I stand there, resolutely glaring into the trees. I shouldn't be afraid of _trees_. I mean, nothing's going to happen to me here. Dad's just a second away and I'm on my way to school. It's not like a horror film where something is actually going to jump out of the woods at me.

A cold prickle on the back of my neck makes me freeze up. I should go back to the van. I shouldn't be tempting fate. Or be here. I really shouldn't be here. I don't know why I feel that way, but I should run.

 _Run._

This is stupid. _I'm_ stupid. I can't let that one creep get the best of me and make me a coward! I'm better than that.

A slight rustle of leaves and twigs is the only warning I have before something leaps out at me and I hit the ground hard, banging my head on the pavement. My vision is full of red and green spots and my wrist feels like it's on fire, but I can't move too well. There's something heavy on my stomach and I'm so cold. The pavement is so cold.

A hissing sound is in my ear. "Don't scream," it says softly, and I feel a weight on my throat.

The world goes grey.

There's a sharp, loud sound, which sounds like it's at the end of a tunnel.

The next thing I know, I'm coughing, and there's dust in my eyes and down my throat. My mouth is coated with dirt and I'm so thirsty. I'm drunkenly aware that my wrist feels like it's about to fall off and my head is killing me. I don't want to move.

"Hikari! Hikari!" That's Dad.

His face is blurry. "I want to be a coward," I rasp, and everything goes dark.

* * *

The room is so white and clean. There's a funny, sharp smell in the air and I think I'm in a hospital. I feel so hazy. Why am I in the hospital?

My memory provides a flash of a white face with even whiter fangs jumping out of the trees.

Not again.

This is not okay.

I'm so angry. Sort of. It's a little hard to stay angry. I don't know why. My head's all fuzzy.

"Hikari?"

Dad's face is there, and I stare at him blankly for a moment. "What happened?"

"We were getting gas and you were attacked by someone in the woods. The manager pulled out a shotgun and hit him, but... he just... He turned to dust." He frowns, looking confused and concerned.

"Level E," I say flatly.

"What's that?"

"I dunno," I mumble. "That's weird." My throat hurts and I don't want to talk much.

"Relax, honey," says Dad, and he adjusts my blankets and kisses my forehead softly. The smell of his cologne, absorbed into his jacket over the years despite multiple washings, helps to ground me. "You were half-strangled, and you've got a broken wrist and a bad concussion. You're to stay here overnight but you should be released tomorrow."

Somewhere, my brain reminds me I have classes, but I don't really care. These pain killers are pretty great.

I turn and see my left wrist in a cast that loops around the base of my thumb. It's purple. The cast, not my thumb. I like purple. It's my best color.

"The doctor says you should stay awake if you can," says Dad, and he pushes a button on the arm of my bed. Why do hospital beds have arms? Beds don't have arms. Hospital armchairs.

Cool, shaky fingers run through my hair and tuck it behind my ear. Dad's expression is weird. I don't like it.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

"It's not your fault, Hikari," he says quietly. "You'll be okay. Just need to take it easy."

"M'sorry you look sad," I say.

His smile isn't exactly what I'm used to, but it'll do for now.

* * *

Sleep comes and goes for a few hours despite my best efforts, and each time I'm awakened by Dad. He must leave now and again—there's evidence that he's gotten cafeteria food, some magazines, and a sparkly "Get Well Soon" balloon from the hospital gift shop, which makes me grin. But somehow he's always there. I love my dad.

In the evening, Dad leaves to get a room in a motel, since the hospital visiting hours are over. He promises that we'll be on our way to Cross Academy tomorrow morning, and leaves my cell phone and the TV remote in easy reach. Since I'm in a shared room, I don't particularly feel like taking over the TV—seems rude. No idea who the other patient in my room is, but they're quiet on the other side of the curtain that separates us.

Dad also left my charger plugged into the wall, so I can keep myself occupied with my phone for a long while, or I can read the manga magazine he picked up for me. After dinner, I decide I might want to text Takuma, let him know I might not be feeling up to our after-school class tomorrow, that I might be better off resting up after moving in.

First, I send an email to Headmaster Cross telling him that I'd rather skip this session in addition to tomorrow's usual classes, explaining the reason why, and adding that Takuma and I broke up over the holidays, in case he doesn't already know.

Then... letting Takuma know. Whether or not Cross will relay my message, I feel it's better that this news come from me. We _did_ agree to be friends, after all, and go through with the extra class. There's no reason for me to shy away from letting him know why I'm cancelling.

Other than the fact that I don't know where we stand just yet.

I've not heard from him since our last date, nor have I tried to reach out. Space is important, and honestly, what would I say? "Yes, hello, friend I recently broke up with and probably still like, what's up?"

I think not.

It's a good thing I don't have much else to do, because composing this text message is going to take a while. First, I snap a pic of my purple cast leaning on the arm of my bed-chair, with the mint-green hospital curtain partition in the background. I debate over whether or not to send that as proof, and decide it might be overkill.

 _Hey, just thought I'd let you know that I got attacked by another Level E and won't be at class tomorrow. I'll be moving onto campus, but I'll be taking it easy, since my throat is kind of damaged and I have a concussion._

That sounds pretty terrible. "Just thought I'd let you know...?" Maybe give this another go.

 _I won't be at class tomorrow evening. I want to continue the course but I got attacked by another Level E today—_

Right, let's play the game of "how much can we make him worry about you?" Last time the two of us got together, I broke up with him because of trauma relating to vampires and Level Es. He'll think I'm likely to snap or something.

 _I won't be at class tomorrow evening. I want to continue the course but I'm in the hospital for a concussion and a broken wrist. Had a minor accident. I'll be moving onto campus tomorrow and then taking it easy. See you Thursday._

It sounds so clinical.

After a few moments, I add an extra line.

 _Cross might have already emailed you but I thought I'd let you know I wasn't skipping because I was avoiding you or anything._

There. Sounds good enough. I send it, and wait. Takuma is usually very good about responding, and it's after eight, so he ought to be up.

But, I concede as I open an eBook to read, since we broke up, I might be less of a priority. I mean, he still cares at least a bit about me, I'm sure, but just seeing my name connected to a message might make him less inclined to see what I've sent him in the first place. I shouldn't be waiting around for his reply.

Well, that's what eBooks are for. Thank heaven the school library has a good collection and the hospital has a decent signal—I've got several options to keep me busy.

But just as I'm starting to read, I get an email from Cross.

 _Yagari-chan:_

 _Ichijo-kun has informed me that he wishes to discontinue the extra course. If you wish to continue it for the promised college credits, I'll personally work with you to that end. He did not say why, though the fact that you broke up seems reason enough._

 _Please get some rest, and if you'd rather skip Thursday, too, let me know._

 _Kaien Cross_

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting.

Didn't say why? Or is Cross just telling _me_ that because Takuma asked him not to tell? But that doesn't sound likely—Takuma's usually so conscientious in such matters. I can see him not wanting to say why, or not wanting me to know the reason, but he wouldn't just say "I don't want to continue, sincerely, Takuma."

That's so bizarre. And I can't believe that our break-up was the reason why, either. He'd let me know if that was the case.

Am I reading him all wrong? I mean, we _did_ break up, and I suppose it's not too far-fetched that he'd be resentful. Hm. I don't know.

There's a funny heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach and my skin feels all weird. I can't shake my disappointment, or the idea that something seems wrong about this situation. But if I talked to anyone about this, they'd probably say that it's just because we broke up.

My gut instinct is that there's something wrong. But hey, _that_ could be wrong—I misinterpreted Takuma's conversation with Kaname-senpai at the ball, so gut's not infallible. But this feels off.

Maybe I'm just hyped on meds. Give it time. I close my email, not wanting to reply just yet, and open my eBook. At least it might keep my mind off of things for a bit.

* * *

 _Cold._

I'm so cold. I wrap my school uniform jacket around myself more tightly. It's a far cry from being enough to help. The clouds look gray as I walk through the town by Cross Academy. It might snow later on.

I don't know why, but I feel uneasy. There's a funny tugging in my gut that makes me nervous, but nothing around me seems out of place. Well—perhaps it's because I'm wearing my school uniform in town. I've never done that before.

I keep walking. Everything is lifeless here, it seems, as I'm now walking through the campus. Just some winter-bare tree branches. Spring is a long way off.

I keep on walking. I'm probably just making up how scared I am. The tree branches look like clawing hands, reaching for me – see! There. I'm just hyping myself up because things look dead and creepy. It's just winter. This happens every year.

The trees start to come in closer, and one of the branches snags at my coat sleeve. I jerk away and keep going, only to have another grab at my skirt, then my collar. In my struggle to get away, one of the branches slices at my neck.

That's when I hear the sinister laughter. I whip my head around to see where it's coming from, but all I get is a face full of hair from moving too quickly. I toss my head to clear my vision, but the laughter's still coming. It's closer, now.

I run.

The only sound is from my feet thudding softly on bare forest floor. When did I leave the campus pathway? I don't have time to contemplate that as I trip over a tree root and go sprawling into the dead leaves.

The laughing is nearby. I scramble to my feet. I can't let them near. I don't know who they are, but something in me is screaming to get away, and I feel physically nauseated. I _did_ fall on my stomach, but this seems different.

I look up to see a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes. "Hello, little one," it says in a fluid voice. "How would you like to be eaten?"

There's got to be something I can fend it off with, but before I have a chance to find out, something pins my arms to my sides. I can't move! Can't run, can't kick, can't lash out at all! Scarlet eyes blaze inches from my face, and then I feel a pair of fangs brushing against my neck...

I scream as I wake up.

I'm just in the hospital—it was only a dream. My body is covered with a cold sweat as I sit up and hug my knees to my chest. No. No, no, no, I was doing so well! Why do I have to have nightmares, now?

I don't _want_ to be afraid of Takuma!

Perhaps I'm not afraid of him right now, but I am afraid of his kind. Hikari and vampires were not meant to mix.

Footsteps come pattering down the hall, hurried but quiet, and a nurse enters the room. "Are you all right?" she asks quietly.

"Bad dream," I say softly. "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"That's all right, dear. You get some rest, now."

I can try, anyway. My heart is still beating too fast for that. Funny, it used to beat like this when seeing Takuma's smile. It might continue to do that for a while, but for an entirely different reason.

* * *

Dad and I have a leisurely, late start the next day, and we head for Cross Academy. We're there by eleven, and it doesn't take much more than an hour to check in and move in my laundry and other things I brought home. But it's too late for me to join in the first day of classes, so I email all my teachers asking for my assignments, and spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on some anime.

Still haven't heard a reply from Takuma yet.

Etsuko returns from classes, makes the appropriate noises of concern for my hospital stay, then, as we head to dinner, babbles about her holidays. She and her family went to Hawaii, it seems—she does look a bit tanner.

Dinner ends, and we head back to the dorm to study a bit, now that I know what I missed the first day. I fear that Chemistry II might be even worse than Chemistry I.

After a couple hours of studying and homework, Etsuko heads to the vending machines in the lobby for a late snack. A knock sounds at our door. It's probably Ichihara-chan wanting to discuss the latest episode of something with Etsuko. I open it to inform her that Etsuko will be back in just a minute, but standing at the door is Toya-senpai.

I blink at her stupidly. She's dispensed with makeup and is dressed in a plain skirt and what looks like Shiki's sweatshirt, hood pulled up to shadow her face. I raise a brow at the outfit, but then I reason that dressed like this, she probably doesn't stand out very much. Fair enough; I know a few students in the Sun Dorm who would love to have the chance to ask her out or hand her love notes, if they knew she were here.

Before I can say anything, she sidles past me into my room. "Toya-sempai," I begin, but she talks over me.

"Do you know where Takuma-kun is?"

I blink. "What? No. I've not heard from him since before Christmas."

She sighs and looks disappointed. "That's what I was afraid of."

I frown. This isn't easing my anxiety at all. "What's going on?"

Toya's eyes meet mine with a steely look. "He and Senri are away on family matters, so I learned from Cross-chan. But he's not responding to my texts or calls."

"Takuma hasn't replied to me, either, after I told him yesterday that I was in the hospital."

Now, Toya's face takes on a focused kind of frustration. "That's not like him. I know you two broke up, but he should've responded to that."

" _Thank_ you! I _knew_ just breaking up wouldn't be enough for him to not text back."

"How long has it been since you told him?"

I glance at the clock my nightstand. "Almost 24 hours."

"That's not right. Something's up." Toya's ice-blue eyes now look tired and worried. She hugs herself a little and... _crumples_ a bit. "He and Senri are involved in something. I don't like this."

There isn't a lot I can say to that, but I feel the same way. Shiki-senpai has been dating Toya-senpai for years, according to Takuma. If she says he wouldn't just fall off the radar like that, I'm sure she's right.

"I should go," she says quietly. "I'm not supposed to be here. I only got in because one of the cleaning staff left the back door open."

"Yeah, I don't want you to get in trouble, Senpai."

She says nothing as she turns toward the door, but then she pauses. "Here," she says suddenly, pulling a slip of paper from her pocket. "My cell number. Let me know if you hear from Takuma."

"I will. I hope you hear from Shiki-senpai soon," I say with as much empathy as I can muster. Not sure how much it comes out, since I still sound like my throat is made from sandpaper. "Good night."

"Good night, Yagari-chan."

She pulls up her hood and is gone in a moment, leaving me more worried. Just as I get back to my bed, I hear the sound of a key in the lock and Etsuko walks in. "Hey, who was just here? She looks familiar."

What to say to that? After a few moments of indecision, I tell the truth. "Toya-senpai, from the Night Class."

Etsuko gapes at me. "What? Why?"

"She hasn't heard from Shiki-senpai for a while." The whole story comes out, and Etsuko listens with rapt attention.

"So this definitely isn't just Ichijo-senpai wanting some distance?"

"I really don't think so."

She says nothing for several moments, contemplating what next to say. "I wish I could tell you something. But hopefully everything will be explained soon."

I hope so.

* * *

Wednesday is the second day of classes. It's sure to be fun—I didn't sleep much last night. I didn't have any nightmares, but I was afraid of the possibility so much that I couldn't keep tossing and turning.

But I survive class somehow and over dinner, I come to the decision to watch the Night Class on their way to school. Maybe I can see whether or not Takuma is there, or if he's still away on family matters. Maybe he doesn't want to talk to me, and that's okay. I just want to know if he's okay. Etsuko, good sport that she is, agreed to go with me.

But amid all the clamoring Day Class girls, it's hard to make my way to a place where I could see. I wasn't aware that I needed to come two hours prior in order to get a good seat, as it were.

Though I can't quite see the path, it's easy to tell when the Night Class begins—the Day Class girls go quiet for a moment, then start crying out for their favorites.

I hear who's first out of the gate by the names the girls are yelling. "It's Kuran-senpai!"

"IDOL-SENPAI! Please accept this!"

"Look, it's Wild-senpai! He's so hot!"

I see Kuran and Kain towering over everyone else, but I don't hear anyone screaming Takuma's name, not even that brunette from class 3-B. I don't know her name, but she's one of Takuma's fans, and is very faithful in her Night Parade attendance.

Nor do I hear anyone calling out for Shiki.

Maybe they're just late, walking at the back of the group?

That's not like them, though. Takuma walks close to Kuran, and Shiki hangs back with Takuma or Toya, depending on the day. Toya's information about them being gone must still be holding. How long will they be away? And unless they're related, which I doubt, it can't be a shared family emergency. For heaven's sake, Takuma's only got his grandfather. Shiki isn't related to _him_ , is he?

I don't even try to work my way through to the front of the crowd to see if I might be able to see them. Who knows, maybe they just aren't being noticed today, or all the Shiki and Takuma fans are on the other side of the crowd.

No. That doesn't make sense. They're not here. They can't be.

It's not five minutes before the Night Class has moved on, and the Day Class crowd begins to disperse, which Cross and Kiryu are encouraging. I sigh.

Etsuko is such a trooper. She puts my arm around hers and, linked, we make our way back to the Sun Dorm. "He's okay, Hikari. He's got to be."

He'd better be.


	9. Goodbye

Thursday arrives—the second day of classes for me, the third for everyone else. Before I leave for breakfast, I email the headmaster, saying I'd like to skip tonight's class. I'm worried about Takuma and want to see if he's back in the Night Class (though I told Cross I'm still feeling a little tired and could use the rest, which isn't wrong).

Pre-Calculus goes okay, followed by Human Psychology, Chemistry II, then lunch. But as I'm leaving Isakawa Hall for the cafeteria, I'm blocked by a group of students who are clearly intent on something very interesting. What's going on? Why block the doorway? Grumbling, I try to push past them into the cloisters to be on my way, when I see what's got their attention.

Cross and Kiryu are walking with Aido, and they're not trying to kill each other? In broad daylight?!

What circle of hell froze over to make that transpire?

I stand, staring, for several moments, just like everyone else. My classmates are all hushed as we gawk at the sight. A few students whisper theories and questions as to what's going on—one girl insists that there must be a full moon.

Not the mythological creatures to be affected by moon cycles, but still. I agree with the sentiment.

It occurs to me that Aido might know what's going on with Takuma, but I doubt I could get close enough to ask. And Aido doesn't even know me—he'd likely brush me off.

But what is he doing with the Disciplinary Committee at this time of day? Shouldn't he be asleep? Or at least, not mingling with the Day Class?

I keep my gaze on the three of them as I head in the direction of the cafeteria. They're headed somewhere among the trees, but why? Soon, I see a glimpse of white—Kuran is sitting beneath a tree, lounging on a pile of scarlet cushions!

Am I seeing things?

Maybe there is a full moon tonight.

Immediately, I run for the cafeteria, where Etsuko probably is by now—assuming she's not been stopped by the crowds who are as stymied as I am. What does Kuran mean, dragging Aido, Kiryu, and Cross around?

Is Yuki Cross the human he likes? He's mentioned something to that effect, though I didn't know she was the one he had his eye on. One thing's for sure, I didn't expect the Night Class President to break the rules so flagrantly, not after lecturing Takuma and me on protocol and prejudice against humans.

Takuma once mentioned that Kuran doesn't take too much advantage of his pureblood status. I'm beginning to wonder if Takuma's too close to the situation to judge that accurately.

By the time I reach the cafeteria, it's half-empty. Everyone's probably still rubbernecking at the spectacle—not that I blame them. Etsuko is waiting for me by our usual table, and I make a beeline for her. Her eyes are wide—she must've seen. "Did you…?" she asks.

"I don't get it," I whisper. "After he made such a fuss over the rules for Takuma-kun and me!"

"You know, all the other Night Class members are constantly pulling their forelocks at him—what's his deal? Why is he so special?"

"He's a pureblood," I say flatly.

She frowns in confusion. "What's that mean?"

"Takuma-kun said it was like vampire royalty," I explain. "I guess that means special privileges. But I didn't think he could get away with breaking _school_ rules..."

"Stuck-up jerk," Etsuko says with less rancor than I'm feeling. "He probably won't even be punished." She's not wrong.

"And why's he so cheerful when his best friend is gone?" I wonder. "Do you think he knows where Takuma-kun and Shiki-senpai are?"

Etsuko ponders this. "Maybe. I wouldn't put it past him. Or maybe Ichijo-senpai is fonder of Kuran-senpai than the other way around."

Now, _that_ is something I'd not considered, but which sounds plausible. It's probably true. And knowing Takuma, he'd be fine with that. But who else has he got in his life, that jerk Shiki? Well, Shiki's not a jerk to _Takuma_...

"Come on," Etsuko says. "We can talk more once we've got our lunch."

Fair point. We don't want to get lunch so late that we have to bolt it down—especially not just before phys ed. Even horseback-riding will leave you with cramps if you do that. Not as bad as running, but still.

But as I get in line behind Etsuko, I still get a nasty feeling in my gut. I had a normal life at a normal, if preppy, high school for the first three years here. Now, in the past three months, I've been attacked twice, found out that vampires exist, the Night Class is running around campus during the day, and Takuma and Shiki are missing.

I really hope this isn't all connected, but that would just be too many coincidences. But heck if I can tell what this is all adding up to.

* * *

Classes continue as normal, though I notice Souen and Kain standing outside one of the classrooms, almost like guards, as I return to my own classroom. Are they guarding 1-B? I think that's Cross's class—it would make sense, anyway, if she is the one Kuran likes.

Though it still doesn't explain why they're there—why does she need guarding?

Again, Etsuko and I attend the Night Parade, but this time, we get there early enough to get a spot on the front lines. Maybe then, we can actually see what's going on.

I'm wearing my new sweater, the one Takuma got me on our final date. Call me crazy, but there's something in me that feels like maybe, if I wear it, he'll show up. Though I know that's some really stupid logic.

"Hey, Hikari, calm down," Etsuko says.

I snort. "I've tried that. It's not working."

She turns to face me, and puts a hand on my shoulder. "You're not going to solve anything by being nervous."

"Gee, that's all I needed to hear," I return bitterly. "That it won't solve anything, so I should just _stop_."

That remark earns me a sour look—I deserve that. "Snapping at me won't help, either."

I sigh. "I'm sorry." She raises one eyebrow at me. "I don't mean to take it out on you. I'm just… ugh."

"I know." She squeezes my shoulder briefly before letting go. A loud creak sounds off to my right as the gates to the Moon Dorm open, and several girls behind me start squealing in excitement. An elbow digs into my side and a knee knocks against my thigh. I frown, but keep my gaze focused on the gate as I try to plant myself a little more firmly.

My fingers tug at the cuffs on the sweater. I need to calm down. My being here isn't going to affect whether or not Takuma is here and safe, and neither is wearing a stupid sweater.

First to appear is Kaname Kuran, and someone shrieks in my ear. Geez! This is why I hate attending the nightly parade. This kind of behavior is downright unnecessary.

Kuran begins to walk down the way, and behind him, I see Kain, Aido, and Ruka. And... that's got to be Takuma...! Yes!

My breath catches in my chest. He hasn't seen me yet, but that's okay. It's not like we could properly talk when he's going to class, and in front of all the other students. But he's here; he's okay! Or he's uninjured, anyway.

There's something in his face that's hard to read, like his expression is guarded. His eyes flit to Shiki, who has a strange little smirk on his face. Toya walks at the back of class, head lowered. What's going on? Isn't she glad that Shiki is back? Have they had a fight or something?

Ow—no!

Next thing I know, there's pressure at the small of my back and a squeal of "Wild-senpai!" in my ear. I'm shoved forward by an overexcited freshman who wants to find her way to the front. The ground's coming up to meet me fast, and I throw my arms out to catch myself.

Only—shoot! I can't land on my broken wrist!

I twist, overcompensating with my good arm, which skids across the rough stone. Geez, that hurts!

Cross's whistle pierces the night as she runs forward. "Sorry!" I gasp as I get to my knees. Inspecting the damage, I see that I scraped the base of my good hand _and_ my elbow. Just what I need—my blood to be spilt before the entire Night Class.

My stomach lurches. Not everyone is looking at me, but I can _feel_ their collective attention. Not just the Day Class—the Night Class, too.

Etsuko is immediately behind me, asking if I'm okay. Just as she puts her hand under my arm to help me up, a pair of shoes stops on the stones in front of me. I look up to see Shiki staring down at me, a sly half-smile on his face. Were his eyes two different colors before?

"You're Takuma's pet, yes?"

What?

All I can do is look bewildered before I see his eyes flash red. This isn't the same Shiki who seemed like nothing was worthy of his time, including me, on that double date in December. Why's he suddenly so interested in me? And why am I getting a really terrible feeling in my gut telling me to run far away?

My heart thuds in my chest as I try to keep my breathing even.

"Shiki, please," comes a familiar voice.

Takuma.

Those sharp green eyes gaze into mine with regret and—fear?

What's he so scared of? It seems like more than the fact that the focus of the entire Night Class is now on me. I try to ignore the feeling in my gut that tells me to run. I wonder why Takuma is afraid when I _should_ be wondering why I, too, feel like I ought to be elsewhere. Anywhere but here.

Why would he be afraid of Shiki looking at me?

Without even offering me a hand up, he places a hand on Shiki's shoulder and tries to usher him along toward the causeway. "We should go. Come on."

"Yes, you should." Kiryu steps between Shiki and me. I can't see his face from this angle, but Shiki looks at him and smirks.

"Come along, Takuma. See you later, young hunter." With that confusing declaration, he turns, and Ichijo spares me one final look before trailing after Shiki. He looked like he was about to say something, but what? What could he possibly say after something like that?

I swallow, hard. My eyes are stinging, and the horrid feeling in my stomach is starting to become heavy and dull. I feel sick.

Zero turns around and glares down at me. "That was a stupid move."

"I was pushed!" I protest, trying hard not to let my tears spill over. That was an upsetting experience, but I really don't know why I feel so much like crying.

"Get to the infirmary," he says in a low voice before turning and walking further down the lines toward a rowdy-looking group of Day Class sophomores. "Now!"

Normally, Zero barking at me might make me want to snap back at him, but I feel nothing but a sad, cold sort of numbness that creeps from the top of my head and settles in my stomach. I blink hard.

Etsuko helps me to my feet. "He didn't even help me up," I whisper.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly.

Just before we turn back toward campus, Toya passes us. Her eyes, usually unreadable, are full of pain as she gazes at me. Then, after a moment, she turns back to her path and kicks at a stray stone. It bounces up ahead and skitters to a stop. As my own eyes track its path, I see Takuma again, looking back at me mournfully.

* * *

No nightmares that night, though what sleep I _did_ get was pretty patchy—I kept waking up. I can't shake this weird, anxious feeling I have. Takuma not texting me, he and Shiki being absent, Toya's visit, then that episode at the parade. "Pet?" What in the world? Who _says_ things like that?

Then there's that nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's been getting worse since the incident at the petrol station. I mean, my stomach's been acting up a lot lately. I wish I knew why it's like that, and why I feel so antsy and restless. Maybe I'm just crazy from lack of sleep. Thank heaven there's coffee in the dorm canteen to keep me awake in class. And some toast would probably help my stomach calm down, too.

Just as Etsuko and I are leaving our room for breakfast, we find a paper slipped under our door. She bends down to pick it up, unfolds it, and reads aloud.

"'Classes are cancelled until further notice. Students are not allowed to leave the Sun Dormitory at this time. Bento boxes and beverages will be provided in the dormitory canteen at mealtimes. You will be informed once it is safe to return home. Please contact the school secretary if you have any questions.'"

I blink at her, wide-eyed, as she finishes. For a long moment, neither of us says anything. What is there to say?

"Well, that's not normal," Etsuko finally says.

"You're not wrong, there," I mumble back.

"Do you think there are vampires on the loose or something?" she whispers.

"I mean, it's not unlikely, and given the lockdown..." I trail off. This isn't exactly reassuring me or my suspicions, which have taken a sharp upturn. "I don't know. Maybe."

I shiver. What if it's a horde of Level Es?

No. I can't be scared about this. Can't be. There's only one thing to do—call the office, like the letter said. I'll probably be put on hold, but hey, if it means getting answers eventually...

"I'll call the office while you get us breakfast?" I offer.

"Sure thing. Let me know what you find out!"

I sit down on my bed and clumsily pick up my cell phone in my scraped hand, transfer it to my cast-wrapped hand, and poke at it until I've managed to dial the school secretary.

 _Ring... Ring..._ "Cross Academy, please hold." And I'm shunted somewhere in the call line. Is that...? Can't be.

Headmaster Cross wouldn't use "Dances of Transylvania" by Bartok as the hold music, would he?

Of course he would.

I almost want to laugh. That piece was part of a music class project back in November. How absurd of Cross. Then again, from what I've seen, the headmaster is nothing if not eccentric. "My style" this and "my style" that. This whole academy runs to the whim of his style, and while I admire his conviction on the peacemaking front, I have to question some of the finer points of his taste.

After a few minutes, I get up and start pacing aimlessly, then stare out the window. Who's that woman with the hat? Surely it's not a mother here to pick up someone—she can't have gotten the message in time for that. She's standing with Maki from 2-C and another girl I don't know.

Whoever she is, I do not like her.

Why is that?

I blink, and the woman is now gripping Maki from behind—what?

No—!

It's over before I can process the thought. There was—a burst of flame, from nowhere, and all that's left of the strange woman is a pile of dust being blown away.

Maki looks shaken. The other girl rushes forward to help her as she goes a little faint. I head over to Etsuko's side of the room, which gives me a better viewing angle, and below stands Aido, Kain, and Souen.

That woman must've been a Level E. Is that why the Night Class is there? Are they guarding us? And is this at _all_ connected to Kuran's having lunch with Cross yesterday, or her Night Class escorts?

I have so many questions, none of which the school secretary can answer. What would she know about Level Es or vampires? Instead, I hang up and start an email to the headmaster.

 _Headmaster Cross:_

 _From my dorm window, I just saw some of the Night Class students kill a Level E. Is the campus under attack, is that why we aren't able to leave the dorm?_

 _Hikari Yagari_

He might not even respond—I have no idea. He's probably busy keeping a lid on the situation and trying not to let it escalate or spread—if it does, this could well be the end of Cross Academy. Between enraged parents of the Day Class and indignant Night Class parents, not to mention political pressure from the vampire Senate...

I don't know much about the Senate, but Takuma did tell me enough to make me think they'd have some strong words about this situation. But an email doesn't hurt, on the off-chance I can get some answers.

On the one hand, outside my window at the entrance of the dormitory, there are people who might know what's going on with Takuma and Shiki. On the other hand, they might not want to talk to me—not only am I a distraction from fending off Level Es, but I'm just a nameless Day Class student to them.

That, and I'm not sure I can bring myself to go out there when there are a bunch of Level Es crawling around. _If_ there are—I've only seen the one.

But that look in Takuma's eyes yesterday...

That was not normal. That was _far_ from normal. What's going on with him and Shiki? Shiki seems very unlike his usual self, almost as though something's taken over him. But that's not possible.

Is it?

Actually, if there's one thing I've learned in the past five months, it's that a lot more is possible than I'd previously thought. Five months ago, I _knew_ that vampires didn't exist. Now...

Okay, so either Shiki is possessed, or high, or under weird marching orders from some higher power. Maybe he's under the influence of a pureblood? Takuma talked about that, too—how the purebloods can enthrall other vampires. So who's ordering him around, if that's the case? The only purebloods I'm aware of are Kuran and that woman that Zero killed. But why would Kuran do something like that?

So maybe there's another pureblood out there, making Shiki act like a puppet. In that case, is Takuma keeping an eye on him? And if so, did he volunteer or was he, too, ordered to make sure Shiki doesn't act out too much?

There's something happening on this campus and I want to know what it is. The only way I can do that is by sneaking out.

That might get me killed, going by the Level E earlier. The headmaster is the one with the answers, and there's no way I can defend myself going all the way there. And it's going to be a _while_ before I can get through to Headmaster Cross via phone, I'm assuming.

Grinding my teeth, I dial the main office again, and again, I'm put on hold. Etsuko comes back several minutes later with bento boxes of rice and tamago, and she has two cans of coffee from the vending machine. I smile. "Thanks!"

"Still on hold?"

"Yeah."

"Sheesh. I'll bet everyone on campus is trying to call in, and some parents, too. I had to fight off two freshmen to get these coffees."

"You're a lifesaver," I say gratefully.

"I figured you needed it, after your tossing and turning the last few nights."

I give her a rueful look. "Sorry."

She shrugs, and opens mine for me. Since I still can't pick things up with my left hand very well, I carefully transfer the phone from my right, so I can use it to pick up my coffee. Sweet caffeine!

"Yes?"

I nearly choke on my coffee as I gulp it down in my haste to answer the phone. "Hi, my name is Hikari Yagari, from class 4-A. I'd like to speak to Headmaster Cross. I'm in his special extracurricular political science course with Night Class member Takuma Ichijo-senpai?" I have no idea if that's enough info for me to be transferred. The headmaster is probably swamped.

There's a moment of silence on the other end before the secretary sighs heavily. "The headmaster is very busy this morning. I may answer any questions you have."

"Even about the Level Es loose on campus?"

I swear I can almost hear something popping in frustration on the other end. "What?"

"The Level Es. And the Night Class students guarding the Sun Dorm."

"I have no idea what that's all about."

Gee, how surprising. "I'd like to speak to Headmaster Cross about the vampires." Hey, maybe the faculty and staff are in on the secret. Though I doubt it.

"Young lady, I have a number of students and parents calling in. Please don't waste my time with fairy tales!"

That answers that question. Though she didn't have to hang up so hard.

Etsuko's face is a bit patronizing. "Did you really expect that to work?"

"No, but I tried," I say sullenly.

I sigh. I know convincing people that vampires exist is kind of an uphill battle, to say the least. I'm not even sure I properly convinced Etsuko.

Maybe she doesn't believe in vampires. But in any case, she's being super supportive, and that's the important thing.

She hands me my bento and I start to pick at the egg. At this rate, if I want answers, I'll have to go out and find them myself. The only question is, can I survive doing that?

But... maybe I can ask someone who's still here. I glance out the window and see that a few of the Night Class students are still there, and I stand up. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"Just out front. I won't be a minute." Well, I'll probably be five or more. Still, I need to know things. And there are a few people who might be able to help me, assuming I can convince them to get their heads out of their behinds.

That's an unfair assessment, seeing as how I've never properly met them, but if they're anything like Shiki and Toya were on that first date, it's going to be an uphill climb to get them to give me the time of day.

Quickly, I shrug a coat on over my pajamas and head downstairs for the main entrance, where I cautiously poke my head outside. My back of my neck prickles, and it's not from the cold. I shiver. Can I sense Level Es before they attack, or am I just that paranoid?

Calm down. It'll be fine. The Night Class will protect me.

Probably.

I swallow and open the door fully. The cold winter wind tugs at my hair as I step into the pale light of the cloudy morning. But what really gets me is the frisson of energy that curls down my back. I freeze.

Come on, Hikari. The Night Class is there. Seriously, right there, in front of you. They'll protect you from any Level Es that come over. Just like they did with Maki this morning.

"Please excuse me," I say softly, then clear my throat. I need to speak up over the wind through the trees. "Please excuse me!"

Kain, Souen, and Aido turn around to face me, and again, that cold shiver runs down my spine. "Go back inside," Souen says brusquely, her brown eyes impassive. I'm guessing that, like the secretary, I'm not the first student she's had to rebuff today.

"I'm very sorry to bother you, but I wonder if you know what's happened to Ichijo-senpai and Shiki-senpai," I ask.

Souen rolls her eyes, and Kain says nothing, but Aido's eyes sharpen and fix on me. I swallow. "You're the one who fell yesterday," he says.

"Yes. I'm the one Ichijo-senpai been attending extra classes with?" I don't think he's shared that information too widely, but maybe one of them has heard of it.

Aido's blue eyes are piercing. "You mean where he goes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings."

I nod. "We meet at the headmaster's office to study vampire-human relations." Maybe that will give me some clout.

Indeed, Kain's eyebrows raise just a hair, and Souen frowns at me. Aido doesn't look surprised in the least. Maybe he's smarter than I give him credit for. Though that seems unlikely.

"We don't know," he says slowly. "But they both have been acting strange since they got back from the winter holidays." Aido takes a step closer to me, and I'm not sure that I like being under his scrutiny. Or him being this close. There's something in his eyes that makes me wonder what he'd do for a taste of my blood, after my fall yesterday. "Tell me, how do you know all this?"

I squirm a bit, but force myself to stop fidgeting. This isn't helping my credibility. "We dated for a bit, but I broke up with him over the holidays. I had some trouble with Level Es..." I swallow and hold my head higher. "I just want to know if he's okay."

"Hikari-chan!"

It can't be.

My heart leaps at the sound of that voice, the voice for which my heart has no right to pound like that anymore. We're not dating. _I_ broke up with _him_.

I turn around to see Takuma standing there, a sheathed katana in one hand. A blue-gray wool coat flaps around him in the wind—it looks familiar. I giggle, and I sound a little hysterical. "You got the blood stains out."

His eyes are confused for a moment before he looks down at his coat, then gives a rueful smile. "The dorm staff is really good with stains."

"I suppose they'd have to be."

He smirks a little, the expression tempered with something incredibly sober. Sorrow?

I take a quick step toward him, but stop myself there. We're no longer together. I can't just hug him impulsively. Besides, I imagine there are a lot of spectators from the windows of the dorms.

There's a pang in my chest when he doesn't move to me, either, but he smiles at me a little sadly.

A sharp crack sounds in the bushes, like a small branch snapping. Instantly, I tense up, searching the bushes for the source of the noise. My heart begins beating in earnest again. God, why did I come out here, again?

When I look back to Takuma, his eyes are sad. "You should go back inside. It's safer there."

I nod vigorously. That's sounding like a great idea. "Yeah. Just… I had to see if you were okay."

His mouth curls up in a rueful smile, and there's something in his eyes that I can't quite read. He takes a step closer to me, and I realize I've done the same without meaning to. "That may be the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me."

Which is just sad, really. What kind of world do we live in? "If that's true, then you need new friends," I say. I was going for dry, but I think that came out more pathetic and quavering. There's a rustle in the leaves, and again, I twitch.

I will not be cowed by some noises in the undergrowth, not when I'm surrounded by guards. Mulishly, I keep my eyes on Takuma.

He shakes his head. "I'm so sorry about yesterday. You can't know the level of danger you were in."

"Shiki-senpai isn't… I mean, he's not being controlled by… someone powerful, is he?" Takuma warned me about how the vampire community feels about purebloods, but I don't know how taboo it is to call out their sins. Or if this is even a pureblood's doing at all.

He sighs. "Yeah. You figured it out." In the corner of my eye, I catch Kain and Aido's astonished faces. Well, Aido looks astonished, and Kain looks mildly interested. Maybe now they'll believe me.

"What's this all about?" Aido asks, annoyed.

"We dated for a bit back in December," Takuma explains, keeping his eyes on mine. They're such a lovely, warm green. And certainly a nicer sight than whatever the bushes might hold.

"You owe us a big explanation when this is all over," Aido grumbles at Takuma.

"Assuming we all get through this," Takuma finishes, turning to face his classmates. He sighs, and his thumb worries at a spot on the leather scabbard in his hand. "I know you have a lot of questions—about this and, well, everything." He pauses to collect his words, and his face grows hard. It's not a side of him I'm used to seeing, but he's determined and very much a leader. "If you continue to follow Kaname's plan, you will become enemies of the Senate. Kaname isn't trying to control you, so you're free to make your own choices—he just wants Cross Academy to remain a safe haven."

What would Kaname Kuran want a safe haven for? I thought he was a big deal in the vampire world, what with everyone kowtowing to him.

Maybe it's not for him. If Yuki Cross is the human he loves, then maybe he'd want it to be safe for her.

There's a brush on the back of my hand, and I look to see Takuma's fingers brushing mine. Our eyes meet, and he places a soft kiss on the top of my head. "I have things I need to do. Please go back inside, and be safe, Hikari."

An electric shock runs up my spine. Just "Hikari." No "-chan."

I bite back an absurd urge to cry and I nod, trying to be firm and strong, but I can't let go of the idea that he means this to be final. There's not going to be the chance of "us" after this.

But he's got work to do, and he's going to save me from Level Es one more time. "You, too, Takuma. Be safe. Take care of yourself."

He smiles at me, then leaps up to the roof, coat flapping out behind him. Then, with another bound, he's gone.

I continue to stare up at the empty roof for a long moment, and the only sound is the rustle of the leaves in the chill breeze.

"You should get back inside," Kain rumbles. There's a different quality to his voice—respect, maybe? "Ichijo-sama is right."

"I want so many answers when this is over," Aido growls, but he makes a shooing motion at me. "Go back to your room. It's not safe out here."

I give Aido a disparaging glance, but I move toward the doors. I unstick my throat after clearing it, and give them all a parting nod. "Good luck." The door handle is cold in my hand as I grasp it. "And thank you for protecting us," I finish, not looking at anyone in particular.

* * *

"So what happened?" Etsuko asks eagerly as I return to our room.

I sit down hard on the edge of my bed. Unlike last night, I don't feel like crying, though there's a part of my brain that wonders if I ought to. It's only then that I realize that I never did ask what was going on. "I don't know."

Etsuko stares at me silently for a few seconds before giving a long, drawn-out, "Oookay..." She pauses. "But I saw—you talked to Ichijo-senpai! What happened?"

"We said goodbye." Not that that properly quantifies our conversation.

Etsuko says nothing for a moment. "What?"

"We said goodbye," I repeat. "The Night Class are defending us. I never asked from what. I guess Level Es."

"But why?"

"I don't know."

The bedspread rustles as Etsuko adjusts her seat. "Are you okay?"

I stare down at my shoes and shake my head. I can see my pajama pants. I said goodbye to Takuma in dinosaur pajama pants.

I'm not okay. Maybe I was holding out hope that one day, I'd overcome my issues with vampires and Takuma and I could date again. Now, that possibility is well and truly gone. And it hurts.

There's a dip in the mattress beside me and Etsuko's arms are around me. We don't say anything for a long time.

* * *

Lunch arrives. The morning passed in a fog—I honestly don't know what I did, though the rearrangement of DVD cases and books tells me I tried to keep myself busy somehow.

At lunch, Etsuko and I sit down with Mori and Ichihara in the breakfast room. It's only a small canteen to serve breakfast and coffee to whomever wants it, and it's usually pretty slow—only about a dozen or so students at any given time. Today, it's packed. Everyone wants to talk. And since the boys' and girls' wings of the dorms are separate, it's the only place besides the lobby where we can mingle.

"Anyone have any idea what's going on?" Mori asks.

Wordlessly, I shrug, hoping I can play it off as cool. Etsuko only glances at me briefly before silently turning to her katsudon—a rather less fancy lunch than we're used to getting. I don't know that anyone notices. Everyone's still so keyed up and too busy swapping theories to pay attention to food.

"Maki-chan from 2-C says there are vampires attacking campus, and that the Night Class is killing them with flamethrowers," Ichihara says skeptically. "Honestly, can you believe that? At least say something believable. Like terrorists or something."

I frown. Terrorists? What terrorist would gain anything by attacking a small private school?

But that gives me pause. I don't know much about vampire politics, but I do know they're weird. What if they're vampire terrorists?

But I still have no idea why they'd even bother to attack, and there's no point in jumping to baseless conclusions. Either way, there's got to be a reason for these attacks. It can't just be random.

Etsuko echoes my thoughts by blowing a raspberry. "Terrorists? This is a school. What in the world would they want?" I notice she isn't touching on the "vampire" bit. She meets my gaze for an instant before looking down into her bowl.

Mori turns to me. "You were outside this morning. Did you find anything out?"

Instantly, Ichihara's laser-focus is turned to me. "You were outside today? Tell us _everything_."

Etsuko elbows her, looking uncomfortable. "Come on. She can't have found out much. She wasn't gone for long."

"Neither was Maki-chan and that little brunette who always follows her around, what's-her-name." Ichihara sniffs haughtily and returns her gaze to me. She gestures with her fork. "Spill."

I frown, but Mori nods. His eyes, too, are hard, and searching. Finally, he speaks. "Ichijo-senpai kissed you on the forehead. You're close with him, at least."

"WHAT?" Ichihara shrieks. I flinch, then glare at her. Thank god she's a Shiki fan. I'd hate to know what her reaction would've been if she were into Takuma.

Mori rolls his eyes. "You know a lot, Hikari-chan. I don't want to hear about you and Ichijo-senpai—actually, I do, but not right now." I smirk bitterly at his words, and he gives a knowing little nod before continuing. "Come on. We deserve to know why we're under lockdown, at least."

In his position, I'd feel the same way.

I could tell them the truth, that there are vampires on campus. But will they believe me? I'm not sure Etsuko does—or maybe she just doesn't want me to start talking about it, because it's so out there. Not that I blame her. Even if I _could_ convince them that vampires are real, I'm not supposed to. The headmaster wouldn't appreciate it.

At this point, though, expulsion is the least of my worries. And if I let everyone know... well, this a good opportunity to spread some goodwill toward vampires on the part of humans. From the students' perspective, the Night Class is not only full of insanely beautiful students, but _heroic_ insanely beautiful students.

Of course, whether or not the Night Class, or vampire society, will feel the same way is another story. But at least the Night Class cares enough to protect us, and that's not nothing.

Isn't that Cross's entire goal?

I'm not sure I have the right to become anything like an ambassador, but maybe I can help Cross out a bit. It's the least I can do after he gave me a chance with Takuma. At this point, I think expulsion over the Night Class's secret is kind of a silly thing to worry about. And Mori is right—they deserve to know why they're in danger.

And honestly, if everyone's already talking about vampires, then maybe…

I bite my lip. "Maki-chan's half-right."

Ichihara leans forward, eyes wide as saucers. Mori folds his hands together and puts his elbows on the table, looking at me intently.

I turn to look at the wooden table, tracing the grain with a finger. "The Night Class is made up of vampires. That's why they're defending us—insane vampires are attacking campus, but I don't know why."

Stunned silence meets this declaration.

Etsuko closes her eyes slowly and bites her lip. I take in a deep breath. Ichihara just blinks at me stupidly, but Mori's gaze is calculating.

"And you and Ichijo-senpai?" he asks quietly.

"We dated back in December," I say, almost in a whisper. "We broke up because I couldn't handle dating him after getting attacked. By another vampire!" I add hastily. "I just... he's one, too, so I couldn't quite... take it."

"Jesus," Mori swears quietly. Ichihara is silent, processing.

"She's had a rough time of it," Etsuko says in a soft voice. I look across the table at her, and smile faintly. "She also got attacked a few days ago, too. That's why she came back late from the holidays."

Ichihara's mouth falls open, and for a moment, no words come out. "You dated... Ichijo-senpai. Whose family owns the Ichijo Group. And he's a vampire."

"The entire Night Class is made of vampires," Etsuko says firmly.

Mori turns to look at me better. "But the school is actually under attack?"

"Yes."

Silence falls across the four of us. "Then that makes the Night Class... like, heroes," Ichihara says.

"This is a lot to take in," Mori says. I can see the gears turning in his head, wondering whether or not to accept the truth of this declaration.

My finger reaches up toward my collar, but I don't touch it. "I still have the scars from where I got attacked in December." I swallow heavily, then, and stare into my half-finished katsudon. Attacked. Just like our school.

What _is_ it with me and Level Es? Am I just a magnet for them or something?

This is just too much. I mean, I know it's not _me_ who's under attack, personally, right now—not like the first two times. But when in the span of a month, I've had three separate run-ins with Level Es, and prior to that, I've not even had _knowledge_ of them...

This is too strange to be a coincidence. But heck if I can figure it out. And heck if I'm going to leave the dorm to try.

"Do you think we can visit the headmaster to see what's going on?" Ichihara asks.

"No!" I say sharply, and everyone turns to me. I twitch, then look down at the table again before picking up my chopsticks. My hands turn them over and over, tapping them against the edge of the table, pressing the points into my thumb a little...

The imprint of the chopsticks leaves a red mark on my skin. Twin points, like the teeth marks in my neck. Will those leave a scar, mark me forever? I close my eyes and remember the dread, the bleak hopelessness I felt pressed up against that wall in the alleyway. The cold weight on my chest and back as I lay on the concrete outside a petrol station.

"No," I say, a little more calmly. "Don't. It's not worth leaving. As someone who's been twice attacked by vampires, I can tell you, it's not worth your life. Because that's what it'll cost."

Everyone is quiet for several moments. Around us, the clicking of chopsticks continues, along with the steady roar of eager conversation.

"Wow," Mori says after a bit. "Okay. Fair enough."

"Are you okay?" Etsuko asks me.

I shake my head.

"What did Ichijo-senpai say to you this morning?" Mori asks. I'm a little surprised Ichihara isn't the one asking after the fact that we dated, but I'm grateful all the same.

There's no way I can sum up what happened between us, not to someone who doesn't know anything about our history. Etsuko knows. I open my mouth, and close it before shaking my head.

"He just said he's going to fight for us," Etsuko explains in a low voice. "And he said goodbye."

Goodbye.

I know it's stupid to think one guy is the end-all for you. I know there are many fish in the sea, and I'm not even that desperate for reassurance that I won't die alone. But I know I will never find another Takuma Ichijo.

We didn't even date very long. I still don't really know him. But I know his wit, his smile, and his laughter. I know his kindness, and his surprise when I saw through him, even if only for a moment.

I wish we'd had more time together. I wish I could know that he'd be safe.

I scoot back in my chair abruptly. "I'm going back upstairs," I say.

"You okay?" Etsuko asks. "Need me to come with you?"

I shake my head. "No, thanks. I'd kind of like a minute to be alone."

"Okay."

I don't look at anyone as I leave my tray behind.

* * *

Please leave a review on the way out! Thanks for reading!


	10. Changes

Thanks for the reviews last chapter! Hope you all like this next installment!

* * *

"I'm going to Ichihara-chan's room," Etsuko announces around four. Classes would be over already if it were a normal school day. "She wants to talk. I don't know when I'll be back, but text me if you need me, okay?"

I nod, but don't look away from the window. "See you." I hear the latch and thud of the door as it closes.

Etsuko has been obligingly quiet since lunch. I've spent a lot of time staring out the window. Not much has gone on. I've spotted a few Level Es, but they've all been killed by the Night Class, or else they didn't leave the cover of the trees. Now I know now that Kain was the source of the fire this morning, not some kind of flamethrower like Maki thought.

It'll be dark soon, courtesy of winter. The sun sets so early. I feel a little hungry, which seems inappropriate, given that I've been watching insane former humans get incinerated, frozen, and decapitated for the past few hours. Then again, I barely touched my breakfast or lunch.

The hardwood floor is cold beneath my feet as I stand up. It's probably a good idea for me to get a snack from the vending machine downstairs. My wallet is in my backpack at the end of my bed. I start rummaging around, but my hands find my cell phone first. I check it, just to make sure no one has tried to contact me.

Oops.

Mom has called me five times, and Dad has tried seven, Kaito twice, and there's even a call from Natsuko.

I grab a few coins from my wallet and find Mom's number in the contact list of my phone. I can talk on my way downstairs.

There's not even a full ring before Mom picks up. "Hikari?"

"Hey, Mom."

"How are you? We're so worried! What's going on at school? You're okay, right?"

I draw in a sharp breath. I'm not okay, per se, but... "I'm safe. I'm sorry I missed your call. There's been a lot on my mind today." I try to keep my keys from jangling too loudly as I pick them up and head for the door. Not an easy task when I'm holding them in my bad hand. They keep clacking against my cast.

"What's going on—are you under attack? There's been a report about terrorists on the news!"

I actually stop walking in the middle of the hall. Of course it would reach the media as a terrorist attack. "There's a group of fanatics attacking the school, but we're being kept safe inside. It's actually sort of boring, not being able to leave the dorms, but we're safe."

"Thank god!" There's a muffled static and I hear Mom's voice as though through a filter: "She's fine. She says it's a group of fanatics."

Then comes Dad's voice, also distant. "What are they after? What kind of fanatics?"

Then, clear as a bell, Mom talks into the receiver once again. "Your father wants to know what kind of fanatics they are."

What to say to that? "I'm... not sure," I say slowly. "We aren't being told anything except to stay in the dorms."

"Your father wants to speak with you."

There's the rustling sound of the phone switching hands, then Dad's voice. "Hikari. You're safe, and that's what matters. Have you tried to contact the headmaster?"

"I got hung up on by the school secretary when I tried," I reply drily. "But yeah, I've tried. I imagine everybody and their aunt has been calling him." With my good arm, I lean against the door to the stairway. After a moment's hesitation, it opens.

He sighs. "That's probably true. We've tried, and we've not been able to reach him, either."

"Did the secretary tell you anything?" I ask, lowering my voice. The stairwell is an echo chamber.

"Only what we—" Silence falls for a moment. "...news."

I frown, and pause. "Dad? You're cutting out."

"Hik—" There's another pause, this time broken up by snippets of syllables. "Can't... need... at all..."

"Dad? Dad?"

But the phone just beeps in my ear to signal that the call has ended. It's probably because I'm in the stairwell. Signal sometimes cuts out here on bad days. At least they know I'm safe. And they certainly don't know anything more than I do, though I'd be surprised if they did.

I'll call Mom back once I get back to the room.

My footsteps echo as I continue down. Light from one of the windows shows that the sun has set already. The stairs remain dark, with only emergency exit signs to give any light. The red light is kind of eerie.

I jump as a loud creak sounds from below. It's probably just someone else returning from the snack machine, or visiting a friend. Slowly, I continue to plod down the stairs.

"Hello."

I look down to the next landing. There's a young guy standing there, clearly too old to be a student, but maybe in his early twenties? What's he doing here? Is he someone's older brother, maybe? Has Cross authorized departures? That seems unlikely, given that we're still under attack.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. _Run_ , says a voice in the back of my head. _Run away._

"Are you looking for someone?" I ask in a guarded tone. Though I'm not sure what I can do if this _is_ a Level E.

A too-wide grin spreads across his face. His teeth are sharp. Now, his eyes glow red.

Dammit.

There's a blur, and a hand closes tightly over my mouth while his other arm winds around my back to keep me still. Only now does the air displacement catch up to him and ruffle my hair. Of course. Of _course_ I'd get attacked by a Level E today! It was inevitable!

I'm angry, now. Not that there's anything I can do when he's holding me so tightly. Both my arms are pinned—I can't even use my cast as a club.

"I'm looking for you!" hisses the man in my ear. "Rido-sama wants to see you again."

Again? Who is Rido and when have we ever met?

Come on, Hikari. You've been in this situation before. There's no Takuma to save me this time, but surely I can make this guy at least regret trying to take me! I may not be a vampire hunter or a martial artist or anything useful, but I can certainly do my best!

My legs are free. They always forget the legs. I'm being hugged close to his body, now, and—is he sniffing me?

Never mind! I swing one leg back and drive it forward into the Level E's shin. He snarls. Ouch! Ow, what?

Does he have claws? God, I didn't know they had claws!

"Don't move," says the vampire in my ear. "Behave yourself, and I won't paralyze you." His claws are now centered over my spine at the base of my neck.

A spike of adrenaline shoots through me, landing in my stomach, where it swirls in a nauseating way. I have no idea if he's bluffing or if he even knows how to paralyze someone, but I don't know if I want to risk him trying. If he fails... I shudder.

He chuckles in my ear. "Good girl. Now, let me take you to Rido-sama."

Everything is a blur for just a moment or two. Cold is the next sensation I feel—cold, and darkness. We're outside, now, and I can smell the cedar trees. We've stopped. There's the Sun Dorm in the distance, just through the woods.

Are all vampires this fast? I swallow heavily. Okay. Okay. Don't panic. Nothing's happened yet. I've only been kidnapped, is all.

Hey, what?! I try to yell, but all that comes out is a muffled grunt. He's digging in my pants pocket! Come on!

"We don't need a cell phone, do we?" He pulls it out and drops it to the ground before grinding his heel into the screen. I watch as spider-web cracks form across the screen, then the whole thing cracks into shards of plastic and metal.

My breaths are carefully measured, now, just to keep me from panicking. I can't panic. I won't panic. I can't afford to. It's all up to me to save me—there's no one else around, and I can't call anyone. Just me and enough money to buy my favorite coffee bun from the vending machine.

But I do have keys in my hand, still. My bad hand, certainly, but they're still there.

If I'm being taken somewhere, surely I should save my keys for attacking this Rido person.

Without a word, my captor reaches down, rips off a section of my shirt, and stuffs it in my mouth. Winter wind slices at my midriff. Seriously? Is he going to give me a strategically ripped boob window, next?

Before I can give any sort of muffled grunt of protest, I'm thrown over his shoulder and we're going at breakneck speed through the trees once more. In a matter of seconds, we've arrived at the Moon Dormitory.

Okay. Now's my chance. Slowly, carefully, I bring my right hand to my left, and... don't mess this up. No pressure. Don't let the keys make a sound...

I'm not sure how, but I manage to transfer the keys to my good hand. Maybe then, I can do some damage to this Rido-sama. Whoever they are, they can't be good news—they had me kidnapped, after all.

Sama. Sama! Rido must be a pureblood! Oh, why didn't I realize that before? No one else in the vampire world could command Level Es to do their bidding.

There's the creak of a door. Wait—what room are we in? Are we upstairs?

Maybe? I think so?

God, I was paying too much attention to the keys. Never mind! Focus, Hikari.

"Ah, Yamaguchi-san. What have you brought me?"

A chill runs up my spine and I fight to keep my stomach from sending up the two bites I had for lunch. Oh, this is not good. Every fiber of my body is screaming at me to get away. Not that I can.

"Rido-sama." My captor bends into a bow, rather awkwardly, since I'm still over his shoulder. "I found you the hunter!" I still can't see who he's talking to, but his voice is deep, masculine, and commanding. My pureblood theory is sounding very likely.

There's a heavy thump behind me, and I can hear anticipation dripping from Rido's words as he speaks. "Yes! Bring her to me."

"With pleasure, my lord. May she bring you strength!" And I'm dumped unceremoniously over Yamaguchi's shoulder onto the floor.

Black patent leather shoes are the first thing I see—they have pointed toes. How odd. Black pants above those, then a white shirt, and...

Those eyes!

I know where I've seen those eyes before! One blue, one brown—I'd only seen a flash of them before they'd turned glowing red.

Shiki's eyes, the night he and Takuma returned. Is this the pureblood who controlled Shiki?

His smile is fierce and predatory. There's only one thing he can have in store for me. Please, no. Please, god, no.

My breath is coming in ragged huffs, now, and I try not to hyperventilate. It dawns on me that this is the danger at the heart of the attacks on campus; this is what Takuma was afraid of. This feels a whole lot like a beehive, and Rido is the queen bee. They truly are beasts, congregating about their leader because they don't have a choice.

His hand reaches down to catch the back of my shirt, and he hauls me up as though I weighed nothing. I see his other hand, and I flinch. He chuckles. Deftly, he plucks the gag from my mouth, then grips my chin, forcing me to face him.

"So you're the offspring of one of those pests."

"Whuh?" He's gripping my face so tightly, I can't even speak properly. What is he talking about? What pests?

He chuckles again, and again, I shiver. That laugh is full of menace. I don't know how I can tell, but there's not an ounce of mercy or selflessness in him. This vampire means to drain and kill me. He oozes evil from every pore. My heart is thudding in my chest. Goosebumps break out all over my body.

I will not escape this room. I'm going to die here.

"You're afraid. How dull." He tsks, then sighs. "Well, at least I can taste your horror as you become a part of me."

Pain—

His fangs sink into my neck.

Hot fire spreads through my veins. I want to scream—it hurts! It burns, stings—it's eating me from the inside out! Feels like my blood's on fire—

Make it stop, please!

But as he continues to suck at my neck, hands gripping me like vices around my shoulder and arm, the pain begins to subside. The heat dulls, cools slowly, so slowly… my mouth feels heavy and dry. I know I have to make it stop. I have to stop this.

 _No, I don't…_

A gentle, calming voice in my head. _You don't have to stop him. Just relax._

No! I don't want this!

 _Why not?_

It's bad—I don't want it! It hurts, and I have to get back to my life!

Etsuko and Mori will worry, and Mom, Dad, Kaito, and Natsuko! I want to stay up studying for a Psych test until I fall asleep at my desk. I want to find out what nonsense the characters will cry about in the next chapter of _The Tale of Genji_. I want to graduate and wonder for six months what I want to study at university. I want to start watching that anime Etsuko talked about. I want to see Takuma smile and be safe.

The heat is nearly gone, now, and I feel cold. But that focuses me, gives me strength. My feet find the floor to support myself, and I open my eyes. I can't see much but a glimpse of dark curls in the corner of my eye and a shoulder covered in deep black cape. A pale hand grips at my arm, like a silent warning—if I dare do anything, I'll regret it.

I'll make _him_ regret messing with me.

Fighting that voice in my head that tells me to just relax, I grip the keys in my hand and raise my arm—

The keys are batted away from my hand to land on the other side of the room. Rido stares at me coldly. "How dare you raise a hand to your pureblood lord." He raises his hand and backhands me so hard, I see stars. "How dare you bare your fangs!"

Straining, I kick out at Rido's stomach, and he grunts. A loud hiss can be heard from around the room, and I lean forward while Rido backs away to sink my teeth into his hand.

My teeth break through his skin far more easily than they should have, and his blood seeps into my mouth.

 _Power._

 _Power like winter winds, power like lightning and thunder courses through my veins. Power like earthquakes and cyclones._

 _My entire body feels like it's about to explode outward, separate and meld with the cosmos—like I can't contain the forces coursing through me._

An invisible force propels me across the room. It's not until my head crashes into the wall that I feel the aching bruise already forming on my cheek from when he backhanded me.

"I should've expected this from a hunter brat," Rido says in a soft, purring kind of voice. "Insolence." He chuckles. "At least you don't bore me."

"Let me dispose of her, Rido-sama!" comes a hissing voice to my left, and I lash out with my cast. Of course, the speaker dodges before I can land a hit.

"No!" Rido's voice is sharp. "She is mine."

The heat in my blood has now completely gone, and I feel cooler. A little weak, perhaps, but then, I've just had my blood drained by a maniac. Now, he's standing over me, smirking. "I don't like to play with my food, young hunter."

 _BOOM!_

Instantly, I curl into a ball. Crashing vibrations rock the room around me, and I feel the dust as it whirls in the air. Tiny fragments of stone bounce off my skin and a cold, frigid breeze bites tugs at my hair. Tinny shrieks of "Rido-sama…" fade out around me. There's that burnt-metallic scent of vampire dust.

I hate how I can recognize that, now.

It can't have been more than twenty seconds before everything's still, though it feels like an eternity. My heart is racing faster than ever before—I'm going to need some serious medical attention after this, and probably a therapist.

Rido is no longer paying attention to me. "I've had my fill of these appetizers," he says to the room in a hard voice, no longer silky or toying. "Clean it up."

"Yes, Rido-sama." The survivors bow to him, and Rido watches them leave. But instead of turning to me after they've run out of sight, he turns upward, toward a large hole in the roof.

Oh.

So what caused that?

I can see straight through to the night sky, clear and starry. Silhouetted against the glow of the moon is none other than Hanabusa Aido. He glares down at Rido in defiance, and I'm breathing my relief. Thank heaven there's _someone_ here who's on my side!

I open my mouth to call out to him, but his expression turns to one of surprise and fear. No, Aido, you're supposed be my rescuer! Be more menacing, would you? Or at least confident?

"You're Rido Kuran-sama," he says quietly, incredulously.

Wait, Rido _Kuran_?! He's related to Kaname?

Rido smirks at Aido. "While I don't need anything more," he says softly, "you seem worth eating. Come here." Aido freezes at Rido's words. "After all, you would not betray your pureblood king."

Oh, this is getting complicated. Is this Kaname's grandfather that Takuma was talking about, or just a pro-monarchy relative? I'd thought Kaname was the last of his family, too.

I want to call out to Aido so badly. A chance at getting out of here! But the look on his face keeps me quiet. He looks so blank. Then slowly, he begins to lean forward over the yawning hole in the roof. Slowly, slowly he falls forward, then I watch as a dark blur sweeps him out of sight.

I'm not sure whether I should be scared or glad. This newcomer has the power to get me out of here, perhaps, but whose side are they on?

Rido, to my surprise, leaps upward, and gracefully lands on the roof, leaving me in the half-destroyed room surrounded by red-eyed Level Es.

On the other hand, if I get up and act like everyone else, maybe no one will notice as I'm heading for the door…

It's worth a shot.

Carefully, I stand. I shiver as the wind hits my bare midriff. Dang it! Seriously. Couldn't Yamaguchi have used my hoodie or something?

I suppose that would've been harder to tear.

Okay. Focusing on the trivial, here. There are only four Level Es that I can see here. My head spins a little and I take a second to regain my balance before navigating my way toward the door. At least it's only ten feet away.

As I reach the door, I hear the crunch of a foot stepping through the debris behind me. I whirl around, lashing out wildly. I don't know what I hope to achieve beyond taking my attacker off-guard.

Blood sprays everywhere as my fingernails rake through the Level E's face.

Not fingernails.

Claws.

As my attacker hisses and falls to the ground in pain, I take a deep breath to calm myself a bit. It doesn't help. Why do I have claws?! What happened? Was that legend true that when you get bitten by a vampire, you turn into one!?

Well, then why didn't it happen before?

I don't want to be a vampire—vampires don't exist! They're not real, not really! Oh god… Why is this happening to me!?

Why am I a vampire?

I run.

I run as fast as I can into the corridor of the Moon Dormitory, then down the stairs and outside through campus. The winter air is sharp in my lungs as I run. My cheeks sting, and somewhere I have enough wherewithal to realize that I'm crying. It doesn't matter.

Faster, faster I run. Faster than I've ever gone before. I can see the Sun Dormitory up ahead—

I can't go there. Can't. What do I do? I need answers. I need help.

I stop at the fountain. The path there forks between the Moon and Sun Dormitories as well as the main campus and the administrative building.

Headmaster Cross. He'll have some answers for me, surely! At least I'll be safe, there. Even if he isn't there, I doubt anyone else will be, so at least everyone will be safe from me.

I take off at a sprint. In the blink of an eye, I'm there, yanking open the door. There's no one at the front desk. The building is dark, even the nurse's office. The parlor is the most familiar room there, so that's where I go. The lights are out, but I can see everything just fine.

Slowly, I drag my feet forward. They suddenly feel like they've been encased in cement. I'm so tired… drained…

No thanks to that Rido Kuran.

I collapse beside the chaise, where just a month ago, Takuma and I had set up a blanket fort. I remember the soft yellow glow on his face, reflecting in his green eyes. He'd seemed so happy to see it set up, to just exist with me in our childlike haven.

His eyes today were so different—cold, fierce, and determined.

I hope he's safe, wherever he is.

My throat is so dry, and my stomach feels so empty. The rug feels scratchy against my cheek, but cool. My claw-fingernails sink into the hard wooden floor just past the rug's edge. There's the biting pain of splinters in the pads of my fingers, under my nails.

Something about that grounds me a little. Why? Why am I taking solace in destroying a floor?

More tears. I feel their faint, tickling slowness as they fall from the corner of my eye over the bridge of my nose.

I don't want to be a vampire.

I close my eyes and just cry quietly for a while.

* * *

Oh, my head hurts … What happened to me?

I open my eyes slowly.

You know that feeling you get when you wake up after you did a ton of exercise the previous day, that feeling when you feel squashed and flat, and achy? Yeah, multiply that by about twelve hundred. I'm so sore! And dizzy. And I'm starving…

My throat is so dry.

Wait a minute… where am I?

Am I still at Cross Academy?

Oh—it's the headmaster's parlor. I'm lying on the couch.

Hang on, when did I get up there? I _was_ on the floor.

I glance quickly around, but see no one to tell me how I got here. I mean, I had to have passed out or fallen asleep, and someone must have moved me. Wait—

Rido.

I remember Rido biting me. I remember tearing open a vampire's face before I could guess what I was doing. I remember running.

I may as well try and find who put me here—something. Was it Cross? Does he know that I'm... does he know what I am, now?

I try and roll off the couch, only to flop rather painfully on the hardwood floor. Ouch! Oh, what happened to my balance? Ugh. My limbs feel like Jell-o, with bowling balls for hands and feet.

Footsteps sound on the floor, and I slowly turn my head to see a pair of scuffed brown boots approaching. The owner is wearing black leather pants—no, they're _chaps_ over blue jeans. I look up into a dark face shadowed further by a long, curly black mane of hair and a cowboy hat. "Here," he says gruffly. He sets something down on the end table, then scoops his hands beneath my armpits to hoist me up into a sitting position before handing me the glass he'd placed on the table. The glass is full of a strange reddish liquid. "Drink that."

I frown at it. I think it's a blood tablet mixture, based on what Takuma told me about it. He wasn't exactly good at selling it—I think he compared it to skim milk. But I need to drink it, I know. I'm _so_ … hungry…

I take a sip, and to my surprise, it's not that bad. Not _good_ , but not bad. Just how Takuma described: bearable.

Takuma…

Where is he? Surely it's been long enough that someone knows where he is. And we may no longer be together, but I can't believe he wouldn't care about my having changed. He'd want to help.

I look up at the strange man and blurt out, "Where's Takuma?"

Okay, maybe I should think before I speak. The man glares at me and I take another sip of the stuff sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Thank you for the blood tablet stuff."

He grunts in acknowledgement and looks at me intently. "Do you know who I am?"

I shake my head. I don't think I've ever seen anyone who looks quite like this man. He's all rugged and, well, kind of badass-looking. Something about his easy, graceful posture lets me know that he's used to being the strongest and the best, that he could take just about anything that came his way. He shrugs off his tan overcoat and takes off his hat, both of which are tossed onto Cross's chintz armchair.

His one ice-blue eye stares at me from under a mass of black curls—the other eye is covered with a studded leather patch. And there's a small scar on his chin.

"I don't think we've met, no," I say slowly. "Should I remember you?"

He grunts and shrugs. "Not necessarily." He nods at the still-full glass in my hands. "Drink that. You'll feel better."

Right. I raise the glass to my lips again and take a larger sip this time. I swallow and have another. Okay, so it gets worse the more you have. Ew. Maybe if I pretend it's medicine, I can get it down better.

Ugh. I force about half of the stuff down before I look back up at the man. I'll finish the tablet mixture, but I need a breather. "My name is Hikari Yagari," I prompt him. "It's good to meet you."

He inhales sharply through his nose. "Yes, I know."

Rude. I narrow my gaze at him. "And you are...?"

He snorts. "A vampire hunter."

Okay, so he's a rude _hunter_.

Oh.

A jolt runs through me as I realize what I'm drinking and what I am. "This isn't my fault!" I protest automatically.

"I never said it was," he replies drily.

"So... why are you helping me?" I ask. "I haven't been... _like this_ long enough to be on a list, but why go out of your way to help... someone you might have to kill?" I can't bring myself to say it out loud.

He stares at me with a strange intensity. "Families stick together, so I'm told."

I frown. "Wait, we're related?" Come to think of it, that would make sense, if what Rido and that other vampire said is true—if I _am_ a hunter.

He sighs loudly. "Biologically, yes. In all other ways, no. Haven't set eyes on you since you were about a year old."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but… _how_ are we related?" I can make a guess, certainly.

"Ha!" He lets out a sarcastic bark of a laugh that bounces off the parlor walls. "It's so clichéd, you're not going to believe it. I'm your dear old dad."

There's a loud clunk as the glass full of tablet mixture falls from my hand to the floor. Red seeps into the edge of the rug.

I scramble to my feet. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Oh, where are the towels?" My feet take me two steps in one direction, then three in another, and I'm walking in circles. "I'm sorry!"

The man sighs loudly. "Leave it. This is the least of Cross's problems tonight."

His commanding bark makes me stand still. There's a long pause. "That doesn't mean we should let his nice rug get stained."

That one blue eye stares at me for a long moment before he sighs again. He sighs a lot. "Go find a towel, then." He waves in the general direction of the kitchen.

Wordlessly, I head toward the kitchen, perhaps a little more quickly than was necessary.

My dad.

I don't even know his name! Yagari-san, probably, but what's his first name?

I spent years wondering if I'd ever meet him, just out of sheer curiosity. I used to wonder why he wouldn't let me be adopted by the Kobayashis, if he never wanted to keep in touch. He never even sent me so much as a card on my birthday. But with the Kobayashis, I was always loved and cared for, just like Kaito and Natsuko were. I was never treated any differently—it was just like I belonged there.

A vampire hunter.

So... I have hunter blood, and I'm a vampire. Oh, this is a lot to take in.

I find myself gripping the edges of the sink and staring down into its stainless steel basin. Deep breaths, Hikari, deep breaths. In—one, two, three, four, five... and out. Again.

My legs and arms are half-numb. I'm not sure whether it's because I might've been hyperventilating, Rido having sucked half my blood, or some kind of side effect of getting changed.

I hear the soft tapping of boots on the tile floor behind me. "What's your name?" I ask shakily, not turning around. I wonder if I might throw up, or if I'm just that drained.

"Toga Yagari." He opens a cabinet and reaches around me for the faucet. He produces a tablet from somewhere and drops it into the fresh glass before pressing it into my right arm. "Drink. You'll feel better."

"I have your hair," I say stupidly.

"Yes," he says impatiently, "and we can discuss it after you drink that." Again, the cool glass is nudged into my arm.

I take in one more deep breath before reaching blindly for the glass, which is navigated into my hand. I take another sip, which does have a calming effect, even if it is gross. I take another drink, then I find myself unable to stop, like... well, like when you wake up at three in the morning wanting a sip of water, but then you down three glasses because you're dehydrated.

It may not taste like much, but it does help.

The glass is emptied quickly, and then I reach forward to refill it with tap water. I drink a sip of that to clear the aftertaste, but then realize that I want more of it. Sheepishly, I turn to Toga—Yagari... uh, Dad?

No, I realize. He's not my dad, nor will he ever be. Toga Yagari may be my father, but my _dad_ is Haruto Kobayashi.

"May I have another, please?" I ask quietly, avoiding his gaze. Wordlessly, he places a small, white pill on the counter beside me. I place it into the glass and watch it dissolve. Rivulets of red climb upwards in the glass as the pill is absorbed into the water, and soon, the blood tablet mixture is complete.

Again, I drink, but more slowly, this time. After draining half the glass, I stand up straight and turn to look at Toga Yagari. His white shirt is open a few buttons, showing a hint of a muscular chest. In stark contrast, his thick, curly hair tumbles down to his shoulders in what can only be described as a mane.

"I tried growing my hair that long, once," I say. Normally, I'd say that's a weird thing to fixate on, but this is positively mundane compared to everything else that's gone on tonight. "Mom, er, Kobayashi-okaasan ended up cutting it out of frustration because we kept breaking comb teeth in it."

Yagari snorts and crosses his arms. "You want to know the secret to keeping it manageable?" I blink at him and say nothing, so he continues. "Put some oil in it before washing it."

"Huh. I never thought of that," I say. "I just kept it short."

"It suits you."

"Thanks."

The strange thing is, he seems more or less at ease. Then again, I've started to calm down, too. How does one even begin to address this kind of situation?

"I'm sorry," I begin slowly, "I just don't know what to say. What does one say in this kind of situation?" I return my gaze to the red liquid in my glass. It's still swirling a little.

"Hell if I know." He shrugs.

"And... what do I tell my family? I mean..." I stop and look up at him. "My foster family. Sorry."

"No offense taken," he grunts. "You've grown up not knowing me, and I've gotten used to not having you around. In a way, we aren't family."

That does make sense. "I don't suppose we _could_ be, though, after this, huh?"

"Why not?"

I blink. "Well, now that I'm a... a..." I swallow heavily. "And you..."

"Are well-qualified to teach you to become a proper vampire hunter."

Okay, so now I'll be a hunter? "Why, though? I'm a vampire! Won't that make things a little... I don't know, weird?"

"What else are you going to do, go back to high school?"

I hadn't thought. Will there even be a Cross Academy after this? The Moon Dorm is practically decimated, and with the bad publicity all over the media... I'd be surprised if the school isn't shut down, at least temporarily.

But then, if not high school, what? College? As a vampire? And I can't imagine telling Mom or Dad that I'm a vampire.

I hadn't thought much ahead.

Maybe I _don't_ have much time ahead.

"Oh, my god," I whisper. "I'm going to become a Level E."

There's a funny gray fog creeping into my vision. Next thing I know, I'm sitting on the floor with my back against the cool wood of the cabinets. Yagari is squatting before me, one hand on my shoulder. "Take a deep breath, Hikari."

I do, and then remember the blood tablet solution. I take another gulp, accidentally spilling some down my front. It dribbles onto my bare stomach. Dammit!

"Can you kill a Level E named Yamaguchi?" I ask finally.

Yagari blinks at me, but doesn't question me. "If I can find him, sure."

I sigh, then, and take another gulp.

Yagari's deep, rumbling voice is quiet. "Can you remember the events of tonight, and who bit you?"

"Rido Kuran," I whisper. "He bit me."

Yagari closes his eye and covers his face with one hand. Then, after a moment, he slides his hand down his face and looks at me in resigned frustration. "He's been killed. We can get you a spelled tattoo, and maybe Cross can persuade Kaname Kuran to give you some blood. We can make this work."

But there's something hopeless in his eye. So that's it. I'm going to become a Level E. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I say.

"It's not your fault. You can't have known to drink Rido Kuran's blood before he died."

"Wait, what?"

Yagari frowns at my sudden change. "To avoid becoming a Level E, a human bitten by a pureblood has to drink the blood of the one who bit them."

"Is that all there is to it?"

That one blue eye narrows at me suspiciously. "Did you do that?"

"Yes."

"You drank his blood?"

"Yes!" I nod. "I did. I was trying to fight him, because I really don't want to die, right? And so I bit his hand. And it was funny." I stop, remembering the surge of power I felt when I drank his blood. I have no idea how much of it I drank—I don't even remember the taste. But I remember the raw energy. "It was really funny."

"I don't know if 'funny' is the right word," Yagari says sourly, and he gets to his feet before offering me a hand up. "But it sounds like you don't have anything to worry about where insanity is concerned." It's subtle, but there's a look of relief on his face.

"Toga! Did you find the—" Headmaster Cross stops in the door of the kitchen and stares at us both. "Oh. I see you've met." Then, an instant later, his eyes narrow at me. "Yagari-chan, what's happened?"

I open my mouth, but no words come out. There's too much to say. "An awful lot, Headmaster."

He frowns. It's funny, but I've never seen him without his glasses, or with his hair down. He looks so much more serious than normal. "Clearly."

There follows a long pause. "I promise I didn't sneak out!" I say finally. "I was kidnapped!"

The headmaster sighs. "I suppose I should make some tea, and we can discuss it. The fighting has mostly died down, anyway. Toga, take her back to the parlor, and I'll join you both once the kettle's boiled."

* * *

I promise there will be more TakumaxOC eventually, because that is what this story is about. Thanks for reading! Please remember to leave a review on your way out!


	11. Transition

Oof, this chapter was hard to write.

* * *

Cross and Toga are quiet in the aftermath of my story—theirs, too. It sounds like their evening has been as insane as mine. Level Es from the Senate _and_ the Hunters' Association attacking Cross Academy? What a nightmare.

I stare down at my empty teacup. The agitation in me wants to _do_ something—get up and run, climb a tree, something! The china in my hands is so delicate. If I didn't have this cast on, I could squeeze my hands together and smash it to smithereens.

I blink and shake my head. Why would I do something like that? Who _thinks_ of things like that?

Do I need another glass of tablet solution, maybe?

In his armchair across the room, Cross sighs heavily and tucks his legs up under himself. "After this, there won't be a Night Class, and with the newness of your changed state, I'm afraid I can't offer you a place at Cross Academy anymore."

I nod slowly. I could've predicted as much. I turn to Toga, who is quiet for a moment before inhaling deeply. He leans forward to set his empty teacup on the coffee table before he says anything. "As I said, your best bet is to come with me. There's always a spot for more hunters at the Association. And after tonight, that's doubly true."

I swallow heavily. "After what you've said about their involvement in this evening…" I trail off. Do I want to be involved in something as corrupt as that?

"The Association could use people like you, Hikari-chan," Cross says in a low voice, tugging his shawl around his shoulders. "People who won't instantly dismiss vampires as evil."

"Well, seeing as how I _am_ one, now…" I bite my lip and look back down to the carpet. I never did clean up the mess from the spilled blood tablet solution earlier. "I'm sorry about your carpet."

Cross waves one hand dismissively. "The absolute least of my worries. Think nothing of it."

"What would it mean, my training to be a hunter?" I ask slowly.

Toga taps his fingers idly against his knee before he responds. "We can always use desk jockeys. Right now, I need a new secretary. Beyond that, you'd get lessons in martial arts and weaponry, and you'd learn about intel and recon. If you show an aptitude for anything in particular, we'd see what further training would best suit you."

A vampire hunter who is also a vampire. I wonder how I'd fit in. I wonder what Takuma would think of that.

I wonder where he is.

There's time enough to find that out later.

"Don't worry about being a vampire at the Association," Cross says after a moment. "There are plenty of former humans who work there." He looks over at Toga and waves a pointed hand at him as he thinks aloud. "Silas Priest has a Level D assistant—Ryuunosuke Takano, isn't it?"

"He's not long for Level D, if you ask me," Toga responds darkly. "There's Zero, too."

I'd forgotten that he was a hunter-turned-vampire. I may not like him much, but I wonder if he might be willing to talk to me about my new status, help me through this a little. Unlike the Night Class members, he'd be able to talk about the transition from human to vampire.

So we've established that I have a place where I could get a job and have a life. I'm eighteen, so legally, I can have a full-time job and get a place to live.

God, I'd have to get my own apartment.

It hits me, then. "What am I going to tell my parents?!"

Realizing what I've just said, I look over at Toga, who immediately raises a placating hand. "You can call them your parents. It's fine." He leans back to cross one leg over the other. "I'll come with you. We'll find something to say. I should've checked in with them years ago, anyway." He clears his throat. "And I'll get Zero to talk to you, too."

I nod. "Between him and Takuma, I should be able to get through the worst of the initial… shock, I guess."

Toga frowns. "Who is this Takuma?"

Oh. I hadn't quite thought of how I'd explain this. I look up at Cross, who instantly stands up. "Who wants more tea?" he asks brightly.

"Sit down, you fop-ass idiot," Toga snaps, and Cross gives him an exasperated glare. "Who is this Takuma?"

"Moon Dormitory Vice President Takuma Ichijo," I mumble, looking down. I can't face him while I say that.

"The grandson of that crusty old Senate leader, Ichio?" Toga scoffs. Senate leader? I should've guessed. "He's that blond kid who hangs out with Kaname Kuran."

I nod. "We… sort of became friends," I say diplomatically.

Toga stares at me long and hard. "You went out with him."

My face heats up and I still can't look at him. "Just for a bit, yeah." My mouth dries up before I can say anything else.

"You knew about this," Toga says, turning to Cross, who starts. He raises one hand to his chest, his entire posture screaming, "who, me?" Toga glares. "You let my daughter date a vampire and didn't tell me about it?"

"I may have… supervised them a bit," Cross says carefully. "I thought that if I could keep an eye on them, they'd be safer than if they had to sneak out. We saw how _that_ ended up."

" _How_ did it end up?" Toga's one eye flashes dangerously.

If tonight hadn't gone the way it did, I might be chiming in. I'd like to have a say in my own life, thank you very much. But I'm so tired. It's a lot easier to let Cross handle it and take the heat for me.

I should write him a thank you card later.

"Don't look at me like that! She's _your_ daughter—she inherited _your_ stubborn do-what-I-want kind of willfulness!" Cross huffs. "She got attacked by a Level E. Ichijo-kun actually saved her life. You should be grateful."

"So you fell for this prince character?" Toga asks me. His voice seems a little growlier than it did a second ago.

I shake my head. "No. He saved me after we'd sneaked off campus together on a date." My index finger traces the braided tassel on the corner of the pillow I'm leaning on. What else is there to say? "We're not together anymore, if that's what worries you."

Toga is silent for a long moment. "It might be worth tracking him down after this. You're going to need someone who knows how to control their impulses."

That wasn't quite the reaction I'd expected, but it's a sensible approach, all the same. Toga's being a lot more pragmatic about this than I'd have given him credit for. Even though he kills vampires for a living, he's being supportive, and even suggesting that I work with vampires to get through this.

I just wouldn't have expected a hunter to be so _chill_ about this.

Then again, since he and Cross are good friends, I wonder if the headmaster's philosophy has rubbed off on him a bit. Or maybe it's just because I'm his daughter.

"Oh," I say after a moment of thinking. "I can't really talk to Takuma."

Cross frowns at me. "Why not?"

I shift uncomfortably. "My phone got destroyed tonight."

"Do you know where that happened? Maybe the SIM card is still okay," Toga suggests rather lamely.

"I can try to find it…" But I know it's a lost cause. From the looks of things, Toga knows it, too.

Finding that SIM card is going to be a breeze to moving on with my life after this. I mean, if I'd kept dating Takuma, I might've one day wanted to be a vampire, myself. But I didn't get a choice.

Do I say goodbye to my friends and family forever, now, just to keep them safe from me? What if I can't keep my new cravings in check when I see people I know and love? Or strangers on the street, for that matter. And just dropping out of school to get a job…

Well, I suppose that was the whole _point_ of college, to try and get better qualifications for a job. And as a vampire, who's to say I can't work at the Association for a little while and then go to college in a few years if I want to study something specific? And if I don't like hunter work, then I'll burn with that bridge when I come to it. For the time being, the Association sounds like it would be a great place to learn about what I am now, and how to deal with it.

And if I end up losing control, there's no safer place for the world at large than to have me in a building full of people trained to deal with that kind of problem.

Though I might end up dead, in that case. I suppose I'd better work really hard on self-control.

I hope I can find Takuma and ask him for help. He would help me, or at least direct me to someone who could.

"One thing is certain," Cross says finally, "we need to get you moved out today, and the sooner the better. Toga, you have a place where she can stay?"

He slowly gets to his feet with a grunt. "Yeah. We'll find her an apartment this week, but in the meantime, she can stay with me." It's probably the safest option.

"So I have to say goodbye to my parents," I say. "And Etsuko, and everyone."

Toga frowns. "Etsuko is your roommate?" I nod. "If she's there, you can say goodbye, but we won't be parading through the dormitories trading farewells with everyone you've ever met."

Okay, you know what? That's it. I find myself standing without remembering getting up. Just for added gravitas, I raise my chin to look down my nose at him. "I've had a really rough night, and my future is changed forever. I didn't ask for my entire life to be uprooted like this. If I want to say goodbye to a couple of friends, then dammit, I'm going to do it!" I huff for a moment, staring at Cross and Toga's blank faces. A little more meekly, I continue. "And if you don't want to tag along, then box up my things while I say goodbye, probably _forever_ , to a couple of friends."

Cross and Toga exchange glances in the wake of my outburst. "She's certainly yours," Cross mutters as he shuffles forward to collect the tea tray.

Toga is quiet for a long moment. It's probably really rude and ungrateful of me to act like that, when he's also going to be making a lot of changes in his life that he didn't plan for. I'm now in his life, and he's letting not only me stay with him, but all of my dorm things. He's going to train me, give me a job, help me find an apartment.

Perhaps I should've been more diplomatic in my phrasing, but I stand by what I said. I should be allowed to say goodbye to Etsuko and Mori, at the very least. It's not like I'll be making the rounds to everyone I've ever known at Cross.

"It's just a few people," I say quietly. "Sorry I yelled."

Toga stares at me, calculating. "I'm surprised you didn't yell sooner. You're taking this better than I expected."

Déjà vu. Takuma's face swims up in my mind. We're holding hands across a table in a café on our last ever date.

Am I going to go to pieces again?

Honestly? Probably. There will be nightmares and crying and sleeplessness, and goodness knows what else.

I really hope I can find Takuma.

A horrible little voice in the back of my mind wonders, what if I don't?

Then I'll have to get through it somehow, regardless. It'll just be easier with him, that's all. But I can't rely on him. I need to be my own rescuer from now on.

"For now," I respond belatedly. "Say that again later tonight when I wake up screaming." I swallow heavily and wrap my arms around myself. I really shouldn't cry. Come on, Hikari. Don't cry, not yet. You have work to do.

A hand lands on my head and musses my hair gently. I look up into Toga's blue gaze. He doesn't seem like an especially tender person, but there's something soft about his expression. I bite my lip. Don't cry. Don't cry, Hikari. There will be plenty of time for that later.

"You'll get through this," Toga says in a low voice. "You'll go through hell and come out stronger for it."

I hope so, I want to say, but nothing comes out. Instead, I nod. "Thanks," I say, then frown. "What should I call you?"

"Hm?" He looks at me strangely. It was a weird subject change.

I shrug apologetically. "Should I call you 'sir?' Or 'father?' Yagari-san?"

His hand slides off of my head. "Call me whatever you want," he says finally. "Call me Toga. Whatever you want."

"Toga-san," I say after a moment.

"Just… just Toga." He holds up a placating hand, then shoves it into his pocket before pulling out a box of cigarettes. With a practiced hand, he shakes the box so that one cigarette rises above the others and he places it between his lips, letting it remain there unlit. "We should be on our way. The sun will be up soon, and you won't want to be outside for that."

I blink. "I'm not going to fry, am I?"

Toga gives a funny sort of laugh. "No, but it'll be uncomfortable as hell."

Oh, that's right. I've seen Takuma and the Night Class out before sunset before, and Zero is always out during the day. They might just be used to it, but Toga's words make sense. Well, it's natural for me to be jumpy and paranoid.

That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

Before we head to the dorms, I go to the kitchen to say goodbye to Cross. I stop in the doorway, seeing him at the sink, elbows-deep in dishwater, and a frilly pink apron around his waist.

How have I not seen that before?

The absurdity of it makes something in my brain snap, and I giggle. Hearing me, Cross turns around, and I see it's got a pattern of little kitty faces and cupcakes. It's so silly! But it's so very, very classic Cross.

At least some things never change.

Then I get an image in my head of Cross as a wrinkled old man, still wearing that same pink apron, still prancing around the academy, though with the help of a cane.

I slump against the doorway and grab onto it to keep from falling over as I keep laughing. It's not even all that funny!

Cross frowns at me in concern. "Hikari-chan, are you all right?"

I snicker, trying hard to calm myself down. Of course, it only makes matters worse.

It's a long time before I've calmed down. Breathing is hard, now, and my cheeks are wet with tears. I giggle again as I look back at Cross. Hands on hips, he stands there with an understanding smile. "I'm sorry," I gasp.

"It _is_ a rather silly apron," he says, and I choke on another fit of giggles. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's silly, but it's not that funny. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You've had a shock," he says simply. "It's enough to make anyone go a little funny for a minute."

I'm reminded again of how incredibly nice he can be. "I wanted to say thank you," I say. "You've done so much for me—the lessons, and dinners, tea, and… everything tonight. Thank you."

He doesn't speak, but his eyes are warm as he looks back at me. "It's been my privilege, Hikari-chan. Are you off to the dorms? It'll be sunrise, soon."

I nod. "Toga-san, er, _Toga_ and I are off, yes."

He adjusts his glass. "I know I'm expelling you, now, and I am sorry that I can't do more for you. I told you once that my door was always open to you. That still stands." He smiles. "Toga has my private number; he'll give it to you. Call me anytime, day or night. I've dealt with a lot of vampires in my time, and I've seen a lot of things. If I can be of assistance, don't hesitate to reach out." His smile grows a little friendlier. "Even if you just need to rant to someone about that that sourpuss you call a father."

"I heard that," Toga snaps as he appears behind me in the doorway. "If you two saps are about done?"

Cross waves his hand around and turns back to the sink. "Of course, I wouldn't expect _you_ to understand what having an emotion is like. Poor Hikari-chan is going to have a much harder time adjusting to life with you than to life as a vampire."

Toga crosses his arms. "Better than life with you. At least she won't have to put up with your cooking."

Cross raises his hand to his chest, feigning offence. "How dare you! She'll be here from time to time, won't you, Hikari-chan?"

Am I going to have two dads on this side of the family? Because they really seem like an old married couple. Though there are worse parents than Kaien Cross, I suppose. "Of course," I say after a pause. I will be back. If Cross wants me, then I owe him a Sunday night dinner from time to time. I may try to go without Toga, though, if all they're going to do is banter while I watch.

"See? She likes my cooking."

"I never said that," I mumble, and I can practically watch Cross's soul leave his body.

"Told you," Toga retorts. He turns on heel and heads for the hallway. "Come on. We need to get going."

I look back at Cross. "I never said I disliked it, exactly," I supply belatedly. "I really would love to come back and visit."

Cross gives me a smile. "I look forward to it. And I promise to work on my cooking."

I grin at him. "So will I. I can bring dessert, if you cook dinner?"

"Done," he says. "I wish you all the best, Hikari-chan."

"Goodbye, Headmaster," I say, and then I follow Toga down the hall of the administrative building and into the woods around campus.

We head toward the area where I thought Yamaguchi broke my cell phone, though as I expected, we couldn't find a trace of it. Nothing but dead leaves and pine needles.

So I need to find Takuma another way.

Inside the lobby of the Sun Dormitory is a large crowd of students, talking nervously, waiting for word of what's going on. Of course, the second the doors open, everyone turns to us. I start, then force my feet to move. This is the last time I'll enter this dormitory as a student.

I suppose the day was coming up in about four months when I'd have done that, anyway. But I won't get to fill the lobby with old homework assignments, per the tradition for graduating seniors. I won't get to take graduation day selfies with my friends, or go through that routine of emotionally telling acquaintances to "stay in touch," when we know that neither of us mean it, and we're just getting preemptively nostalgic.

Maybe it's better this way. I never have been very good at goodbyes.

"Hikari-chan!" I look over to see Mori working his way through the crowd toward us. "What happened? Etsuko-chan has been going nuts!"

I wince. "Come on. I'm heading up to our room now. I can explain everything to both of you."

"Not without me!" Ichihara appears behind us. "I need details."

I roll my eyes. "You can't wait for Etsuko to tell you later?" I ask. That was a little rude of me, but I can't quite bring myself to care just yet.

Ichihara looks behind me, and turns a little pale at the sight of Toga. Well, that's fair enough—he's not exactly a fluffy teddy bear. "Maybe I'll just… yeah, I'll wait for Etsuko-chan to tell me everything later," she says. "Sorry."

There's a twinge of guilt in the back of my head. "No, I'm sorry. Come on. I've just had a really long night."

Her brown eyes are a little suspicious. "You sure?"

I nod. "Come on. If Etsuko's going to tell you everything later, you may as well hear it firsthand."

The four of us head upstairs to my room, when I remember that I lost my keys. I rap loudly on the door, hoping Etsuko isn't asleep. When less than five seconds later, she opens the door, I see she probably hasn't slept all night. "Hikari!" Immediately, her arms are tight around me. "You're okay!"

I hug her back, once again fighting back tears. "I'm sorry, Etsuko, I'm so sorry."

Wordlessly, we stand there for several moments until Toga sighs loudly. We break apart and Toga sidles past us into the room. "Which side is yours?" he asks gruffly.

I sniff and blink hard. "It's the left side," I call inside, then follow him.

"You're leaving?" Etsuko asks, eyes wide and very wet. "Why?" Her face is pale. She knows something is up. Gee, what would give her that feeling? Could it be the tall, one-eyed man with a rifle strapped to his back, or the fact that I was out all night while our school was being attacked by vampires? The fact that I'm abruptly leaving without notice?

"We should all go in," I say quietly. "I'll explain everything."

"But hurry up," Toga says roughly.

I glare at him. "For pity's sake, let me explain things! We're not in _that_ much of a time crunch."

Toga stares at me long and hard, then sighs. "Do you have a trunk or suitcase or anything?"

"Under the bed," I say, and sit down on Etsuko's bed. I do not have enough energy to pack and talk at the same time. Three faces blink at me expectantly.

"So… I got kidnapped last night by one of those insane vampires," I say finally.

Ichihara's eyes go wide while Mori looks willfully blank. Etsuko closes her eyes for a long moment.

"Long story short, I got… um… I'm a vampire, now." I swallow. That's the first time I've said those words. They feel wrong in my mouth, somehow. "Cross has disbanded the Night Class, so there's no place for me here, anymore."

Silence.

Though I don't know what else I expected.

Then come the rough sounds of Toga dragging my trunk from under my bed so he can start roughly throwing clothes into it.

At that rate, he'll fit maybe half of what he could pack into my trunk. I sigh and stand up. Is he packing this way just to make me get up and help? I mean, I was always going to help, but emotionally, there are different priorities. "Why don't you get your car or whatever we're going to use to get to the train station?" I suggest evenly. "I can start packing."

Toga rolls his eye. "Brat."

"Grump," I retort. If he's going to just insult me, then I'm going to give it back to him.

But he doesn't seem overly offended, and instead turns to leave. "I'll be back in five minutes," he says, closing the door behind him.

There's still silence in the room. "You're a vampire, now?" Etsuko asks weakly. "You don't look like one."

"None of the Night Class ever did," Ichihara points out.

"I'd really like to keep it that way," I say. "I don't know how to deal with it yet. I just… really don't want to test my limits yet."

Mori nods in quiet understanding.

Again, we're all silent for a bit. After a long moment, I look down into my trunk, where wrinkled uniforms and clothing are tossed in disarray. I should start putting that to rights. If Toga gets back and nothing has been done, he won't be pleased.

But I can't make my arms move yet.

"So… what are you going to do?" Mori asks.

"Toga has offered me a job at the Vampire Hunters' Association," I say.

"But you're a vampire!" Ichihara points out at the same time that Mori asks, "Toga-san?" Etsuko is still quiet.

"Toga Yagari," I say. "The guy who was just here. He's… he's my birth dad."

Etsuko sits down on her mattress. Ichihara folds her arms and opens her mouth, though she doesn't say anything. "So you found that out tonight, too?" Mori asks.

I nod. "It's been quite a night."

"I'd say."

"So… what's it like? Being a vampire," Ichihara asks. She reaches up to twirl a strand of her brown hair around one finger, looking more restless than anything.

I shrug. "So far, it's not that different, except that I can't stay with my family or here at school anymore. I've panicked a lot."

Mori nods. "So… you're a vampire… and you'll be working at a place where they hunt vampires?"

"Yeah." I really should start folding clothing. I reach down into the trunk and pull out the first thing I see, which is the green sweater Takuma bought for me on our last date. "They're only supposed to hunt down insane vampires. Level Es."

"Level Es?" Ichihara repeats. I nod.

"Will you be actually hunting them down, like a mercenary?" Mori asks.

Before I can answer, Etsuko stands up. Her hands are balled into fists, and she's trembling. "Why would you work there?" she asks in a low tone. "They couldn't even be bothered to keep you safe tonight."

I want to say something altruistic, like how maybe I can help other people from becoming vampires like I did. Maybe I can make a difference there.

But I can't.

"I know," I say. "But I have nowhere else to go where I can learn about what I am and how to… not attack people."

"You've not attacked any of us yet!" Etsuko says hotly, and again, her eyes are brimming with tears. "I don't see why you can't stay here! This isn't right!"

I swallow. Etsuko is shaking, now. "I don't want to press my luck with any of you," I say finally. "I might accidentally kill you if I forget to take my blood tablets or… or if one of you gets a cut or something."

The first tear lands on her cheek and she shakes her head. "No. This isn't right."

I drop the sweater and hug her tightly. "No, it's not," I say, and then I'm crying, too. "No, it's not! I don't want to go."

And for a long time, nothing is said.

Finally, Toga knocks on the door, and Ichihara lets him in. Etsuko and I break apart. Thankfully, Toga has enough sense not to say anything, and I pick up the sweater and fold it carefully. Ichihara reaches into the trunk and begins to help while Etsuko retreats to the en suite. I can hear her blowing her nose. It's several minutes before she returns, but when she does, it's with my bathroom caddy, full of most of my toiletries.

We pack in silence for a long while before Mori finally asks, "Yagari-san, why didn't the Association do anything to prevent tonight?"

Toga is silent for a very long time, and Mori and I exchange a glance. He realizes he's asked something he maybe shouldn't have. I open my mouth to speak, but Toga shakes his head at me. He inhales deeply through his nose. "The Association needs a lot of work. The president actually conspired against Cross along with the Senate to attack Cross Academy."

"And why should Hikari work for you there, then?" Etsuko asks sharply. "Why would she be safe there?"

"Because after tonight's casualties, we need a new president and a new board." He sighs deeply. "I'm one of the senior hunters, there. I'm in a good position to make it safe for her. And for Cross Academy."

I can only hope, anyway. I think I can trust Toga to help keep me safe, at any rate. If he wasn't there, I don't think I'd go.

But is there anywhere else I could go?

I move to my nightstand, where Takuma's manga still sits, and I have to fight off another urge to cry. I pick it up and flip through it, and a slip of paper falls to the ground. It's a little yellow Post-It with a cell phone number written on it.

Rima Toya.

I gasp and sit down on the edge of my now-bare mattress. "What is it?" Mori asks.

"Toya-senpai gave me her number," I breathe. "In case I found out what happened to Takuma." Was that really only three days ago? It feels like an absolute lifetime.

Ichihara frowns. "So… she'll give you Ichijo-senpai's number?"

I nod. "And maybe she can help me, now that I'm… like this." Reflexively, I reach for my phone, but then remember that I don't have one anymore. That's another thing I need to do soon. "Etsuko, can I borrow your phone?" I ask.

She nods and hands it to me. I dial Toya's number, and wait as it rings. And rings. And rings.

"Hello?" a guarded voice finally says, accompanied by the intermittent static of someone who's talking outside.

"Toya-senpai?" I ask. "It's Hikari Yagari."

There's a pause on the other end. "Hi," she finally says, clearly unsure why I'm bothering her. "Can this wait?"

"Sorry," I say. "I'll be quick. Can you send me Takuma's number? I lost my phone last night."

Again, there's a faint bit of noise on the line as a breeze rolls in. "Sure, but I don't know how much good it'll do you."

"Huh?"

"He's missing. No one's seen him since yesterday morning."

I sit down on the mattress again. "Oh."

There's a long pause on the other end. "We're looking for him right now, but I don't know what we'll find."

I don't say anything for a long moment, instead staring at the rug on our hardwood floor. It's teal and green, very mod. I picked it out when I was fourteen and I'd just gotten accepted into Cross Academy. It doesn't go with anything else in the room.

"Hello? Yagari-chan?"

The phone is roughly snatched by Etsuko. "Toya-senpai? This is Etsuko, Hikari's roommate. She got turned into a vampire last night. Ichijo-senpai or no, can you help her?"

Takuma's missing.

Deep breaths, Hikari. Inhale—one, two, three, four, five… and out.

"Uh-huh. Of course. No, this is my phone. She can text you once she gets a new one."

Missing.

"Oh, god. No, after what Hikari said yesterday… Uh-huh. Wow. I'm sorry. No, she's having a hard time processing everything right now. Yeah. Of course. Thank you so much. And good luck."

"What did she say?" Toga asks.

"She says that Hikari should text her once she gets a new phone, and she'll figure out something then." Etsuko shrugs. "She and Shiki-senpai are looking for Ichijo-senpai. He's been missing since yesterday morning. Hikari was one of the last people to see him."

"Damn," Mori breathes.

Toga inhales slowly through his nose. "We'll get through this somehow. Ichijo-san isn't the only one who can get you through this."

"But he's missing," I say finally. "What if he's not safe? Or if he got killed yesterday?"

Toga is quiet for a long moment. "Then if that's the case, I'm sorry. But there's not a lot we can do without any leads."

"Then we have to search for leads!" I snap. "Toya-senpai and Shiki-senpai are looking for him, but we could, too!"

Toga's one blue eye stares at me coldly. "As hard as this is for you to hear, you need to realize that there may be nothing we can do. And there's certainly not much _you_ can do as a brand-new vampire."

"Then who else to help teach me how than people who have been vampires all their lives?"

"Someone who used to be human and who's learned how to deal with the change!" Toga snaps. "If you go to the Association, Zero can help you."

No one moves in the aftermath of this statement. I can see in Mori, Etsuko, and Ichihara's eyes that none of them knew about Kiryu.

I swallow. "Can I at least try?"

Toga's gaze becomes hard. "You're an adult, and I can't stop you from doing whatever you want. But I can tell you that the Association is going to be the best solution for you. Let Shiki-kun and Toya-kun search for Ichijo-kun. You need to take care of yourself, first."

I open my mouth to speak, but Toga overrides me. "Wasn't the whole point of you finding Ichijo-kun to have him help you?"

"I don't see why that means that I can't help him," I say.

"Because you _can't_ , yet." Toga's voice is steely and ice-cold. "You're a newborn vampire. Once you've learned your physical limits and how they affect your thirst, and once you've learned to deal with being in the presence of blood and how to control yourself, _then_ you can go looking for him. But until then, you're going to be more hindrance than help."

He's right.

Dammit, he's right.

Maybe… maybe Toya and Shiki will find him soon, and I'm worrying for nothing. He said he had something to do—maybe all he did was go really far away and that's why no one's found him. Or he just got knocked unconscious and he'll be fine once he wakes up.

I nod mutely.

I hope he'll be okay.

I hope I will be, too.

Everyone is pretty quiet after that as we pack my things into my trunk. Toga disappears to the canteen to scavenge for cardboard boxes to put my books in. Within two hours, my side of the room is bare. I stare up at the Gazette poster on Etsuko's side of the room, thinking of how when I first saw it three and a half years ago, I wondered if we'd ever get along if that was her taste in music. I never thought we'd be best friends.

I still don't like Gazette.

I look over at Etsuko, who looks tired. She was probably up for most of the night. Weak streams of sunlight through the window light up dust motes in the air behind her. I sigh. "I'll keep in touch," I tell her. "I promise."

"You'd better," she says with a sad smile. "Once you get things sorted out, can you come back and visit?"

I shrug. "I'll try. I don't know how slow I'll be, but I'll really try."

She nods, and then leans forward to hug me. "Take care of yourself," she whispers. "Don't spend all your paychecks on manga."

I giggle, then sniff. Not again. I inhale slowly. "And you be sure not to stay up too late gossiping with Ichihara-chan." Etsuko laughs weakly at that.

"I'll miss being your roommate," she says as we separate.

"Me, too." I look over at Mori. "And I'll miss sending sarcastic notes to you in class."

He smiles crookedly. "Me, too. They're half of what made Chemistry bearable." He reaches out his hand. "Don't be a stranger, okay?" I shake his hand and nod.

"And you, Ichihara-chan…" I stop for a moment, wondering what to say. "I actually will miss you," I finally say. "Please, if you're ever in town, look me up. We can get coffee or something and you can catch me up."

She nods with a funny half-smile. "Sure thing. Take care, Yagari-chan."

With that, Toga and I carry the last of our boxes out to Cross's car, which is waiting by the front steps of the dormitory. The sunlight is bright and fierce, more so than it should be for a ten o'clock on a cloudy winter day. Toga was right about it being different. But soon we're in the car, pulling away from Cross Academy.

I look up at my dorm window and see Etsuko, Mori, and Ichihara waving down at me. I roll down the window and wave back until I can't see them anymore.

* * *

Please remember to leave a review on your way out! Thanks for reading!


	12. One Year Later

Ahhhh, sorry for the delay! New job, lots of art things (like cons and craft fairs), Inktober... actually, everything happened at once. Thanks for your patience!

* * *

A chill runs down my spine, making me shiver. It's cold inside, even with my jacket. I turn to look at the window, and I see the snow falling softly, silently to the ground. Gray flakes robbed of their brilliance by the absence of light.

Winter is such an easy season—it's dark so much of the time.

"Hikari!" barks a loud voice, and I turn back to see Toga glaring at me. I've gotten used to seeing his glare—he does it so often. Like Zero, I think it's his default facial expression. "You've all got your headsets turned on?"

I nod, and see Zero and Kaito Takamiya nod alongside me. We're all Toga's pupils, now, though I'm the only one who trains with him more than once a week. Zero and Kaito are full-fledged hunters, now, and don't need as much work with a master.

"Then let's go." We fall into step after him as he leads us downstairs into the shooting range under the Hunters' Association headquarters.

"Zero, I want you to work on the new rifle," Toga's voice says in my headset as we descend into the dark stairwell. It's a set of noise-cancelling earmuffs with a microphone and a speaker so we can still communicate. "It fires a higher caliber than you're used to, and has a pretty rough kickback, so brace yourself. Kaito, you're on the same one as last week, but this time, work on your reloading speed." Golden light floods us as Toga opens the door at the bottom. "And Hikari, I've got you on a nine mil Springfield. It's small and light, but it has more of a kick than you're used to. Work on your accuracy."

I squint in the initial shock of light as I follow Zero and Kaito through the door into the shooting range. There aren't too many hunters practicing at this time of day. Most are either gearing up to begin their missions, if they're working today. Me? By all rights, I should be in bed, like any sane vampire.

Of course, that isn't really in the stars, since my father is the highest-ranked hunter around. He's had me training pretty rigorously since I came under his wing a year ago. But that's okay by me—I've got a job, a salary, my own apartment. I've got a future, thanks to Toga. A little extra training is a pretty fair price to pay for that.

And it means I never have to feel helpless at the hands of another Level E again.

Toga's right—the kickback on this Springfield is a little fiercer than I'm used to, but the grip has a better size for my hand than most of the other pieces I've trained on. Even accounting for the recoil, I like its feeling of compact solidity.

Time passes strangely in the shooting range. I've used up at least six clips before I hear my name in my headset. "Hikari, plant your legs a little more widely. There you go."

That helps a lot. I note also that my arms aren't as firm as they could be, and I brace myself a little better. The next shot I fire doesn't impact me as much. Good.

Despite the cool temperature in the range, my palms sweat against the gun's grip. My arms shake just a little. It's hard to keep up this posture for any serious length of time, but as Toga has told me before, training is the difference between predators and prey in the vampire hunting world. I believe him.

All the same, my arms need a slight break, so I lower my gun, discharge the clip, check that the chamber is empty, and put the safety on. Once the gun's in my hip holster, I lean against the cold concrete pillar that separates my range from the one beside it, careful not to slip on one of the brass shells at my feet.

Deep breaths, Hikari. Shake out your arms—work out those kinks.

I've been getting like this more often. Rima says it's probably because I still haven't had any real blood, yet. It's been a year since I've changed, and I still can't bring myself to drink anyone's blood. Well, I haven't actually found anyone whose blood I've really wanted. Blood tablets are just fine.

Besides, I'm not sure I feel comfortable biting someone else. I shudder at the memory of that Level E attacking me in the alley. I can't do that to someone else.

But those blood tablets aren't really all that satisfying. Nor are vampires meant to live off of them—so Rima tells me. She would probably know. She says they were meant as a meal substitute, but not a full-fledged diet plan.

I wish it were stronger stuff. Some days are harder than others, but today, I'm having trouble keeping my arms up for too long. I wonder how long it'll be before they're not enough for me, and I feel like attacking someone.

As much as I ought to talk to Toga, Zero, or even Senri or Rima about this, I can't bring myself to. I'm my own rescuer and I should be self-sufficient. Right?

"Hikari, doing all right?" comes Toga's voice in my ear.

I nod. "Fine. Just need a moment." I shake my hands and arms again, like I'm shaking off water droplets. Then, I take off my safety goggles and pin up a few stray hairs, carefully not disturbing the headset. If the sound of gunfire is dangerous to humans, I don't want to think of how loud it would be to a vampire.

Goggles back on. As I resume my target practice, my thoughts stray to the upcoming vampire ball. A night soiree, they call it, because I guess vampires just have to be that dramatic. I've been assigned to the security detail as a trainee. I wonder if I'll see anyone from the former Night Class. I've not seen much of anyone since that last day on campus. Well, except Rima and Senri.

I'm taking off early after work today to meet up with Rima—we're doing a dress fitting. Just because I have to attend the night soiree in an official capacity doesn't mean I can't look good. And I'd definitely need a tailor's help for that.

The Association has strict rules on dresses for those who are part of a security detail. Hem length, sleeves, neckline, all that. It makes sense—I mean, it's not like it's about some nebulous rule about modesty or anything—it's all about practicality and whether or not a dress will hinder the wearer.

But the only dress I could find that fit the criteria (and that was in my price range) is… "ugly" doesn't quite cover it. Thank heaven Rima was kind enough to offer her tailor's services.

"That's enough target practice," Toga's voice comes in through the headset. "Finish your clips and we'll head out."

I've got one bullet left. Better make it count. Carefully, I aim at the chest of the paper target and fire.

Bullseye.

Unload, check that the chamber is empty, safety, holster. Then we march back upstairs, where it's safe to remove our earmuffs and goggles. Reflexively, I shake my head a little and run a hand through my hair. I'm not much for those headsets. I prefer earplugs, though I concede that the headsets come in handy when we're training.

Toga's blue eye looks at each of us in turn. Beside me, Zero is stock still, but at ease. Kaito, on the other hand, has never quite learned to trust me. I long ago gave up the battle for his liking me at all.

Toga paces before the three of us. This feels a little like the military—us lining up in front of our commanding officer for inspection. "Zero, good work, as always. Kaito. You were a little sloppy today, but good effort on the speed." Kaito shifts a little and scowls, but doesn't flinch from Toga's gaze. "Try to get in some more hours in your spare time. Hikari, your stance is still a little weak, but you're getting better. Keep it up and I'll move you to rifles in a month or two." He nods at us. "Good work today, everyone."

I start to move toward the door. This is usually where he lets us go our separate ways—me to the office, Kaito and Zero into the field. But Toga hasn't moved, so maybe he has more to say. Beside me, Zero crosses his arms and stares at Toga expectantly. "What else are you going to yell at us for?" he asks in a deadpan voice.

Toga snorts. "Ungrateful brat. I should assign you more training hours." That's rich. Zero clocks more training hours than any of us—and he's probably the best hunter out of us, and that includes Toga, who knows it. "There's a ball next week, and as you know, you're all on the security staff."

"Even her?" Kaito asks.

I roll my eyes and sigh. "Once again, I'm _right here_ , Takamiya-san," I say flatly.

"If you have a problem with her, take it up with me," Toga says in a tone that shuts down further conversation. "Hikari, you'll report to Zero every hour. If there's a problem you can't deal with, you go to him. If you can't find him, come to me, or anyone else on detail."

I nod silently, and hear Takamiya's quiet scoff. I don't care if he doesn't trust me—I'm a vampire, I get it. But could he at least be civil? We've worked together for a year, now. You'd think he'd learn to calm down, at least to my face.

"Same time next week, then," Toga says, and Kaito shoulders past us on his way to the cloakroom.

Zero moves past me, but I clear my throat, and he turns back to me. His violet eyes are carefully neutral. "I look forward to working with you," I say. "Is there a snack you like? I can make you something, as thanks for helping train me."

"How come I never get baked goods?" Toga asks then. His shoulder bumps into mine as he moves past me.

As he looks back at me, I see the twinkle in his eye and smile. "Be my date to a ball sometime and maybe I'll make food for you."

"Zero, be sure to get her a nice corsage." Toga lowers his hat brim and then leaves the two of us.

Zero sighs. "I'm not buying you a corsage."

I shrug. "I really never expected you to." I pause. "Or imply that we're actually dates. Sorry." I shuffle my feet awkwardly. "Um, do you like chocolate? I can make a decent chocolate bread."

There's a flicker of something in Zero's eye for just a second, then it's gone. "I don't like chocolate," he says in a low tone.

"How about matcha? I can do matcha cakes."

He shrugs noncommittally. "Sure. You really don't have to."

As he turns to leave, I fall into step with him. "Maybe not, but I want to say thanks for taking me under your wing. I'll try my best not to be annoying, but this is my first time on a mission, so. Your assistance means a lot."

He grunts, then opens the door for me. "It's no problem."

I stop and stare up at him wordlessly for a few seconds. Somehow, I still get the feeling that he's not overly excited for this assignment, but not in the same way as Kaito. _He_ just hates vampires.

Well, so does Zero, but ever since the attack on Cross Academy, he's been... subdued when not on a mission. Or perhaps he's just been depressed. With Zero, it's hard to parse out his emotions. That, and he's barely ever around. Between his hunting duties and keeping up at Cross Academy, I'm not sure how he has time to breathe.

But he and I are in the same boat: hunters turned vampire against our will. He may not trust me yet, but that's a purely social thing. We don't really know each other very well.

I lower my gaze, then step through the door into the corridor. "Well, I appreciate it all the same."

He follows me through, then, and pauses. I follow suit, since he looks like he's got something else to say. "Kaito now works at Cross Academy as a student teacher."

I nod. "Toga told me last week."

"I've also been asked to memorize the attendance list for the ball. Ichijo-san isn't on the list."

Oh. I inhale deeply. I can't say I really expected him to. He's been missing for a year. One year and two days, actually. According to Rima, Kaname knows where Takuma is, but he won't tell anyone his location. Because he's an ungrateful, murdering bastard, I suppose. After a moment, I open my mouth to reply. "Thanks for telling me." It really is sweet of him to have mentioned it, even if he never did approve of my dating Takuma. Zero's not a bad guy—just a little gruff.

Wonder which teacher he learned _that_ from.

Zero gives me a curt nod as he heads toward the cloakroom for his things. He's going on a new mission tonight. I have my own mission, and it involves a tailor.

* * *

The hall is silent for all but our footsteps. There are fifteen hunters on duty for the night soiree, myself included. Which means that there are fourteen competent hunters on duty. I'm still learning. And while I've made progress, I'm still not very good, but I have to get _some_ experience if I'm ever going to get better.

I guess someone decided that tonight's ball was safe enough for me to be allowed on the security team.

My feet sink into the deep red carpet. It's so cushy. And it's a ritzy enough place that there's no pattern to mask any spills or stains – they just assume no one would dare spill anything, I guess.

We have a coatroom as our base of operations. We can store our winter coats on a coat rack on one wall, or one the benches around the perimeter of the room. I've brought along a small bottle of oil and a cloth for my rapier—thank you, preppy Cross Academy gym classes for giving me a head start, there—and for my gun, though I doubt I'll _need_ to clean either tonight.

Beside me, Aimi Sato lays her coat out on one of the benches. She smiles at me and tucks her wavy brown hair behind one ear. "It's your first mission, right?"

I smile back. Sato's in her mid-thirties, and is a decently ranked hunter. She's always been nice to me, whenever I've run into her around the Association. "Yeah. Time to get my feet wet!"

"Nervous?"

"You kidding?"

She laughs. She's got a nice laugh. "Tonight will be a cake walk. You'll be fine." With that, she pulls a pair of silver pistols out of her coat pockets. She sets these on the bench, then pulls out a dagger. "Blasters and blades. It's a great combo." She winks at me. "My fiancée thinks I'm nuts."

I grin at this. "Well, if it's nuts, then I'm in the same boat."

Sato quickly checks one pistol, then the next, and shoves a fresh clip in each. Her movements as she shoves them into the holster at her waist are efficient, practiced. I'm kind of envious of how confident she is. "She's just jealous because she can't shoot worth a damn. She's got a quarterstaff. She looks like a ballet dancer when she fights."

"Where's she tonight?" I ask.

Sato reaches for her dagger and sheathes it in her boot. "I think she's in Bourges by now?" She shrugs and straightens her suit jacket by the lapels. "A little further north, maybe. She's on the trail of a pack of rogue Es. Well, anyway. You want to get lunch sometime? We ladies need to stick together."

I nod. "The Association is a bit… um…"

"It's a sausage fest," Sato says bluntly. "Seriously, if you ever need a hand, or need some girl talk, let me know." With that, she grins at me. "G'luck tonight!"

"You, too," I respond.

I should make sure my weapons are in good working order before I head out. I reach down to pull my rapier from its sheath. I oiled it just yesterday, and it still looks good. Well, no reason why it shouldn't, I suppose. It clicks as it slides back into place.

"You good to go?" Toga's deep voice sounds perhaps a little louder than it needs to be.

I turn to face him and nod. "As I'll ever be."

He shoves his hands into his pockets. I notice he doesn't have his usual rifle. I'd wondered if he'd bring something like that, but he's equipped himself with a single pistol at his belt. "Nervous?"

"Everyone seems to be asking me that," I mumble, then shrug. "Yeah."

Toga gives me a level stare. "I'll be across the room if you need anything."

I nod at him. "Thanks. Let's hope I won't!"

Several of the hunters have left by now to get to their posts. I'm one of the last to go—Zero and Takamiya are still there, too. I remember I still have a little cake to give to Zero. The butterflies in my stomach are going nuts. My system is flooded with adrenaline. No pressure. I'm just on a mission where I might have to hurt someone, that's all.

Not that I probably will. It's a ball. People are coming here to dance and to pay homage to the great and mighty Kaname Kuran, his royal broodiness. For all I'm not really his biggest fan, I can't say I'm against his idea of reinstating the vampire Senate.

A knock sounds at the door, and a man with an enormous rolling trunk enters. "Here's the luggage," he says to Takamiya, who smiles at him.

"Thank you." Is he humming? I'd have thought he'd be the grouchiest thing on earth this evening. He _hates_ being around vampires. With a few deft clicks of the latches, he opens the trunk. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Who's he talking to?

A blonde head appears from within the trunk. Out steps whats-her-name… Yuki's friend from Cross Academy! Watanabe? Watanuki? Wakaba! That's it. Sayori Wakaba.

How long was she in there? What's she doing here?

Takamiya had her delivered here in secret.

Why?

I don't know what to say. It's clear that for a moment, Zero's in the same boat. I look at Takamiya, who smiles widely, looking like the cat who ate the canary.

This is so far beyond the pale.

Before I can open my mouth, Zero grabs Takamiya's collar and slams him into the nearest wall. "Kaito, you—"

"It's just one human to protect. Don't think we can manage that?" He shrugs. Dear god, is he serious? How could he possibly justify this? Zero growls at him, but Takamiya looks calm and cool. "You'll watch over her, too, right?" He turns to look at me, too, including me in this farce. Like hell.

Though while I want no part in this, Takamiya has me over a barrel. I have to help make sure she's fine. Not only because Wakaba doesn't deserve to _not_ be protected, since she's a complete innocent, but if I don't help, then I'm part of the vampire problem. Bastard.

Zero sets him back on his feet.

Meanwhile, Wakaba looks at us blankly—no, neutrally. Like she's trying to hide what she's feeling.

Takamiya turns back to Wakaba. "You can go look for your friend, now, but stay within my sight."

She nods. "Okay."

She must be here looking for Yuki. I can probably help her out on that front, but… What was Takamiya thinking?

"A little lamb at a night soiree," he says in a singsong voice. "Watch as their eyes change when they see her."

That's it. "What the hell do you mean by this?" I demand. "You're always going on about how 'vampires are a danger to humans; they should all be killed, blah, blah, blah!' And here you are, taking a student straight into the lions' den!"

Takamiya smirks at me. "Are you so afraid of your own instincts?"

I glare at him. Oh, what I'd give to punch him in the nose. "No, but you talk up the depravity of vampires, and then you endanger one of your own students!"

"If just one of those vampires lays a hand on her," he says softly, "it gives Zero a reason to kill _him_."

Him, who?

It hits me, then.

Kaname Kuran.

Slowly, I take in a deep breath. I wonder how he'd like it if I went and told Toga what he's done. Or Cross. Both could fire him, or at least do something to punish him.

But I look over at Zero and see the look in his eyes. He's not on board with this idea, is he? Using Wakaba as bait on the off chance that it gives him a chance to go after Kaname Kuran? The same Kaname Kuran who would do anything for Yuki, who is Wakaba's best friend, and who would therefore do just about everything in his power to make sure she's safe?

"What is it you teach at the Academy, again?" Zero asks after a long pause.

"Ethics." Takamiya shrugs and shoves his hands into his pockets. "What's your point?"

Wakaba, by now, has already left, and I don't blame her in the slightest. Well, fine. I spare one final glance back at both Takamiya and Zero to let them know just how I feel about this, then I leave. The ball's about to begin and some of the guests have already arrived.

I wonder where Wakaba has gone. She was wearing a sage-green dress…

But the ballroom is full of so many people that I can't possibly find her without doing a thorough sweep of the area. Whatever happened to showing up fashionably late? Or was that never really a thing outside of books and TV?

Oh… so help me, if she gets hurt, I'm going to throttle Takamiya!

At any rate, Toga should be forewarned.

Several gasps and exclamations can be heard, and I turn to the far end of the room. I can see Kaname's head across the crowd, and… I think that's Yuki next to him, but I can't tell from my vantage point.

I should get to my post before I do anything else, at least until the hubbub over the Kurans' appearance dies down. I'm supposed to be at one of the pillars near the table with the refreshments. Carefully, and murmuring excuses, I work my way through the crowd, somehow managing to not catch my sword's scabbard on anyone's clothing.

And just as I'm almost to my post, someone in the white uniform of the kitchen staff bumps against my shoulder.

I look up to give an apology, but the words die in my throat.

Takuma.

It can't be. Can't be! He disappeared a year ago without a trace! He wasn't on the guest list, and wasn't supposed to be here!

But he is.

I blink. No. I must be seeing things, right?

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

There's a warm, welcoming scent that fills my nose. Warm, like lying in the grass on a summer afternoon… faintly spicy, like cinnamon and nutmeg. Apple blossoms and hay bales.

No one could replicate that scent.

I open my eyes once again, and he's still there. Neither of us moves or speaks for an age.

Honestly, I'm not sure how long we stand there, gaping at each other. But there he is, after one year of separation—those same green-gray eyes, that long flax-blond hair… He looks a little paler, maybe, and thinner, but it's the same Takuma.

What's he doing here? And looking like…

"Kitchen staff?" I finally ask helplessly.

Oh, great job, Hikari. Way to be smooth.

"Hikari…" After a moment, he looks at the tray he was carrying, then nods to it. "Let me set this down, okay?"

Wordlessly, I nod once, and he steps over to place his tray of glasses at its designated spot along a table against the wall. In a moment, he's back, and I'm still at a loss.

His eyes look a little guilty, but he smiles at me warmly. "It's good to see you. I'd heard you were a vampire, now, and working at the Hunters' Association."

I nod. I'm not sure what I expected him to say—some long, drawn-out soliloquy, or to skip words entirely and take me in his arms—but I can honestly say I didn't expect him to just blithely talk about my new life as though it were nothing more than a new job at a shop or a move across town. "Yeah," I finally say, once I've remembered how to speak. "What… what are you up to, these days?"

He shrugs. "I'm staying with Sara Shirabuki-sama. She brought me along tonight, but I'm not officially here." He smiles at me and winks.

Okay. That's news. So I shouldn't be letting my heart get into a tangle if he's living with a pureblood. Even so, a hot, heavy feeling rushes through my chest and I feel a little ungrounded.

Honestly, while I've always wanted to see him be safe and happy, and while I'm largely resigned to the fact that we were never going to date again, there's a part of me that kind of wishes he were less excited about sleeping with a pureblood.

That's uncharitable of me. If he's happy, that's really what matters. Though I may have to eat an awful lot of ice cream after I get home tonight. I wonder how late Etsuko stays up these days? Would she be up for a late night phone call?

"So how… how are things with the two of you?" I finally manage, hoping my voice is more enthusiastic than I feel. "I'd always wondered what happened to you after…"

After the attacks on Cross Academy.

This isn't right. Something's off, here. If he were just dating Shirabuki, why would Kaname feel the need to hide his whereabouts? Not just from me, but from Senri and Rima, two of Takuma's closest friends.

I narrow my eyes. "You two… _are_ you dating?" I ask. My voice quavers. Reflexively, my left hand grips the pommel of my rapier. That grounds me a bit. "I mean—"

He smiles at me. "Nothing like that. Here, why don't we talk somewhere private? I'm not supposed to be out on the floor now that the party's started. And Senri and Rima are waiting for me."

Good. We'll all get the full rundown of events, then, straight from the horse's mouth. And honestly, I'm not sure I don't trust myself not to lash out at the slightest provocation right now. Something inside me is just… really eager to sink my claws into something. Which seems like an overreaction.

I may have to see if there's a blood tablet solution around here. I drank some earlier this evening, but clearly, my body's not quite satisfied with that. Because of course, it isn't. I should've seen that coming.

Takuma's hand is warm as he grabs mine and leads me off to the side and down a corridor. His flax blond hair waves out to the sides comically, following the currents of the displaced air as he walks quickly. His neck is so pale and smooth. Like a blank canvas.

I really need to find some tablets. I think there are some in my coat pocket. Maybe I can sneak back there in a few minutes?

Oh, who am I kidding?

Finally, Takuma knocks on one door, and Senri opens it. "Took you long enough," he grumbles, then he sees me. "Oh."

"Hey," I say quietly as I enter.

Rima's standing at the far side of the small, window-less room. The wooden paneling is edged in gold paint, making her striped magenta dress seem warmer. She turns toward us, and nods. "Hey."

I nod back at her, then turn back to Takuma. There's so much I want to ask him, so much I want to know. Is he okay? Is Shirabuki kind to him? Does he love her? How does he feel about me, especially with everything that's happened? Instead, I say, "Please, tell us _everything_."

His smile is a little… I don't know… There's something weird about it. Something fake. Back when we were dating, I might've said something about that. He's here, with two of his best friends and me! There's no reason to hide what he feels.

Unless there is a reason, and it's me. I mean, I can see why he might not want to be open and honest with the girl who dumped him. I know he brought me here, but…

My hand is still in his, and I tug it away. He probably doesn't care for me like that anymore—it isn't right for me to pretend like nothing has changed.

His green-gray eyes stare back at me, looking mildly puzzled, but ultimately, just pleasantly surprised to see me. Like we're old acquaintances whose last meeting wasn't at a school that was under attack, like I wasn't a human back then, and like he wasn't giving me a maudlin and very permanent farewell.

"You've been living with Sara Shirabuki-sama," I prompt him at last, and cross my arms. My claws are starting to come out, and I can feel them scraping at my biceps. I try not to squeeze too tightly, but I still feel irrationally like attacking something, to feel hot flesh give under my teeth. Gotta get some blood tablets.

He nods. "We're not dating, to answer your question." He shrugs off his white coat and places it on the back of one of the chairs around the table. Beneath, he's got a black suit on and a white bow at his throat. It's not a traditional bowtie—it looks like it's tied in a bow, like a ribbon. I don't know what it's called.

Of all the things to fixate on.

"Of course not," Rima says acidly. "Look at him. She dressed him up like a servant." She frowns deeply, which is an expression I'm not used to seeing on her. She's normally so composed. "What game is she playing? Or can't she afford a domestic staff?"

Takuma shakes his head and shrugs. "It's not like that. She just likes to treat me as her personal slave."

Silence.

Okay, _what_ , now? And he said that so casually!

What has the last year been to him?

"She… made you prepare all that… tea stuff that you had earlier?" Senri finally asks.

Takuma shrugs. "I like tea ceremonies."

Rima sighs. "Her weird fancies remind me of a certain someone." She glares at Takuma pointedly.

"Ichijo," Senri says in a low voice, "if you were doing fine, then why didn't you tell us?"

"We were worried about you," Rima adds quietly.

I say nothing.

Her… _slave_.

I should not be trusted with weapons of any kind tonight. Especially not when I know that Sara Shirabuki is one of the guests of honor and is definitely, definitely attending tonight's ball.

Her slave.

Takuma's smile is apologetic, at least. "Sorry. I couldn't risk it. She's hard to read. I'm still not sure why she keeps me locked up."

"Locked up?!" Rima's voice is shrill.

"She locked you up?!" Senri's voice is higher, now that he's riled.

"Did she abuse you or hurt you?" Rima asks. She doesn't say it, but we're all thinking it: torture.

Senri frowns. "Yeah, what did she do?"

My fangs feel heavy in my mouth. I still can't bring myself to say anything. I grip my arms more tightly around myself.

Why didn't I insist on going along with Rima and Senri to look for him?

Because, I remind myself, I would've only been a hindrance at the time. I still am. I'm only here because I need field experience, and this was the easiest job on offer. The only one I was actually allowed to take.

And instead of being at my post, doing my job (and guarding Wakaba, I remind myself), I'm here in a back room talking to my ex-boyfriend about where he was for the past year.

And trying not to let loose and sink my teeth into the first thing that looks at me wrong.

"No, no," Takuma says nervously. "It's not like that. Yes, she's short-tempered and really… capricious, I guess, but…" He smiles softly. "She's got her cute moments, too."

My mind flashes back to Cross Academy, on that night when Takuma and I studied in the blanket fort. I remember the lights glowing softly on his hair and skin, making everything rosy-gold. _"Purebloods have the power to command any vampire to do their bidding. They can enthrall other vampires."_

Thrall. That's what's happened to him.

Rima turns to Senri, her expression back to her usual deadpan. "Senri, do you think he's being controlled by a pureblood? He's being too blasé about this."

Senri sighs. "I don't know. She probably just has him wrapped around her little finger." He looks back at me, briefly, but doesn't say anything, and I can't tell what he's thinking, other than that he's not exactly pleased. "He does this a lot. Gets a crush on whatever girl he shouldn't. It's a bad habit."

"I don't think it's that bad," Takuma says lightly.

Was that all I was? A fad of his? As a human and a vampire hunter, was I just the newest flavor of "inappropriate girl to have a crush on?"

That can't be. I mean, maybe we were never destined soul mates, maybe our love wasn't written in the stars, or anything like that. That's okay. But surely I meant more to him than just an exciting fling.

"I'm sorry I caused so much worry." Takuma's voice is soft. He smiles at us again. "I should get back to the kitchen."

Senri reaches out and grabs Takuma's hand. "Hey. If she's not forcing you to stay or anything, come on. Let's go. At least say hello to Kaname-sama. He's your best friend."

Takuma pulls his hand back, smiling disarmingly. "No, thanks. I'll stay with Sara-sama." He shrugs. "Sorry."

Silence fills the room once more. I thought Senri almost had him, there—convincing him to come back to his friends.

"Why?" I ask, finally.

Everyone looks at me. Takuma's patented apologetic smile reappears, then falters.

"Don't tell me this is about all that trouble from last year," Senri drawls. He sounds a little angry. I don't blame him. "That business with Rido-sama."

"It would be easier for me to leave it at that," Takuma says with a light laugh. "I just want things to stay the way they are for a little while longer."

"Why?" I ask again. Again, everyone looks at me. I uncross my arms and my hands curl into fists at my sides. Maybe no one will notice my claws are out. I can't seem to get them to go away. "Are you happy?"

Rima's eyes widen just a little as she stares at me. Senri says nothing, but Takuma regards me carefully. "No," he says, after a moment.

My gaze narrows at him.

"Then come with us," Senri says again. He reaches for Takuma's hand, but Takuma smoothly backs away.

"No," Takuma says again. He looks a little confused as to why he's saying that.

"Why not?" I ask.

His green eyes are cool for a long moment, then they return to their characteristic warmth and candor. But it isn't real. I know it's not. "Who will take care of Sara-sama if I don't?"

"That's not a reason!" I exclaim without thinking about it first. "You can't just put yourself at someone's emotional beck and call! Take care of yourself, first!"

Again, silence follows my outburst. Takuma opens his mouth, but takes a moment before he responds. "Being with Sara-sama… I've learned things I never would've considered about purebloods before. They're really lonely. No one trusts them."

"Gee, I can't think why," I spit back.

Takuma's brows knit together as his eyes go wider in surprise. To be fair, Rima and Senri look a little thrown by that, too. I don't care. Takuma blinks at me. "That's a little harsh." He pauses, his gaze growing sharper as he studies me. Resolutely, I force myself to stand a little taller. "Hikari-chan, are you still in love with me?"

What?

Possibly nothing else he could've said would've surprised me. I could understand if he'd stood up for Kaname after my assertion, or even if he'd tried to defend Shirabuki. But this? What?

"What has that got to do with it?" I ask finally. Just to be clear, I add, "And I don't think I was ever _in love_ with you, so the answer is no." I may have heavily crushed on him, and there was certainly the potential for love, but that possibility was shot down the second that Level E attacked me in that alleyway.

No one says anything, and I turn away, feeling hot shame creep throughout my chest. I wish I could be anywhere but here. Out there, guarding Wakaba, like I should be, keeping an eye on the vampire elite and listening to their snide comments as they sense what I am. Just not here.

"I know I broke up with you. I'm not asking anything of you. I just want you to be safe and happy." I turn back to him. "Are you?"

There's indecision in his eyes. "No." He raises one hand to his forehead, then, and he hisses quietly. "Ah—I'm sorry!" And just like that, he's his usual, composed self again. "I'm going to stay with Sara-sama."

So this is what it's like to see someone under a pureblood's thrall.

I remember that conversation we had in the blanket fort, how many vampires supported the purebloods on principle or out of instinct. How many others feel that the Senate allows us to have more free will, and feel that the pureblood's attitude toward morality is rather laissez faire. I know which side of the debate I fall on.

Screw the purebloods.

Kaname Kuran may be a pureblood and he may be someone I'm never going to love, or probably even like, but he's got the right idea about keeping a trustworthy Senate in place and not letting the purebloods take control.

"I have a job to do," I say, finally, clenching my fists tighter. "It was… um, it was good to see you, again, Ichijo-san." With that, I walk through the door. I'm halfway down the corridor when I smell it.

Blood.

I don't know whose it is, or where it's coming from, but there's blood.

God, I'm going to wish I had those tablets on me, aren't I?

The sounds of the ball are normal—a string quartet, soft footfalls on the marble, the steady murmur of conversation, even the clinking of glasses. So nothing too serious has occurred—good. But still, no one should have shed any blood tonight.

I sniff again. It's vampire, not human or hunter—I think. I'm still a little fuzzy on the difference between vampires and hunters, sometimes. It's definitely not human, anyway.

All I can do is hope it was just someone getting a little frisky with a partner. I take off down the corridor at a trot, then hear footsteps behind me. I slow to a walk as I reach the main ballroom, then stop. I sniff again. Is it behind me?

No—it's coming from one of the rooms upstairs.

I turn around and see Takuma, Rima, and Senri in the hallway. They smell it, too.

Back down the hall we go toward the stairs. Here, the stairs are concrete—just a fire exit, not even any carpet. Our footsteps echo loudly as we race upstairs as quickly as possible. Please, let it just be someone having fun with a partner.

The scent seems stronger at one of the first rooms by the stairs. It's getting thicker, cloying—fresh, but not flowing blood. This is more than just a quick nibble on someone.

Is it this room? Senri and Rima look grim, and Takuma is looking pretty ill at ease, too. My knuckles rap sharply on the wood just to give a warning to whomever's inside before I push the door open.

Immediately, the smell of blood is overwhelming. I cough, then see the source of it.

There's a gasp from Rima as she sees the scene.

Aimi Sato lies there on the floor, the carpet around her soaked with blood. Two puncture wounds in her neck, like tooth marks. And in her chest is a knife. Her hand is still gripping the hilt.

Shit.

This was supposed to be a plum assignment! A nice, cushy evening where I walk up to Zero once an hour and report that I've not seen anything! No one was supposed to die!

Then again, Takuma and I _are_ in the same room, which automatically means that someone has to die or freak out or something. Maybe it's better that we're leading separate lives, now.

The look on Sato's frozen face… I shudder. She was cool—I like her! Liked… _liked_ her. I blink hard. She had a fiancée—Naomi, I think her name was. She had a life. She had hopes and dreams.

And some pureblood snuffed it out.

It had to have been a pureblood, I realize. Not only is her aura different from a hunter's, but her hands are starting to turn to ash. She was turning into a vampire when she died.

There's a dull pain in my knees that brings me back to earth—I've fallen to my knees in front of Sato. A hand falls on my shoulder and someone kneels beside me. I look over to see Takuma.

"Did you know her?" he asks quietly.

I nod. "We were going to have lunch together," I say quietly. "Her fiancée is hunting in Bourges."

Takuma's hand grips my shoulder a little harder, and I cover it with my own hand. For a long time, neither of us says anything.

I'm so tired.

Who's going to tell Naomi she isn't going to be having a wedding anymore?

The first tear lands on the carpet and soaks in. The second doesn't make it that far. I inhale sharply, breathing deeply. I can't afford to sit here and cry. I have a job to do.

I can cry later.

"Hikari?"

I sniff and wipe my tears away with the back of one hand, then slowly get to my feet.

"Hikari, are you okay?" Takuma's green eyes are sharp and calculating as he studies me.

I'm sure I look a fright—crying and sniffling, probably glowing red eyes, if my claws and fangs are any indication. I nod. "I'm okay because I have to be," I say softly. And it was him who taught me how—by simply not being there.

I'm my own rescuer. I just wish I could've been Sato's rescuer, too.

Toga. I need to find Toga.

"Are you sure?"

"Leave her alone," Rima says from the doorway, before I can respond.

"I need to get back to work," I say at last, and head for the door without another word.

The red carpet in the hall sinks under my feet as I head for the stairs. The question is, did she kill herself to keep from falling to Level E, or did a pureblood feed from her and then compel her to do this?

Now, I may trust Kaname about as far as I can throw him, but I'm fairly certain that he and Yuki shouldn't be at the top of the suspect list. Kaname's a killer, but he doesn't kill without cause, and what would he gain by attacking a hunter at his own ball? And Yuki… I just can't see her doing anything like this.

There were, however, two other purebloods on the guest list: Shirabuki and her fiancé, Ouri.

Oh.

That knowledge makes me run the rest of the way down the stairs, all the way through the first floor corridor toward the ballroom. Up ahead, I can hear the music.

Sure enough, when I reach the end of the hall, I see that the evening's festivities continue: people are dancing, drinking, and milling about, as though nothing whatsoever is wrong. My eyes scan the room. Where's Toga? Zero, anyone!

There! Towards the right, Kaien Cross is standing guard at one of the pillars. There's a light touch on my arm, and I jump.

"Oh! I'm sorry." Takuma's voice is soft in my ear. "I should go—I'm not supposed to be seen."

"We'll keep an eye on him," Senri says to me in a low tone as he reaches us, Rima in tow. I nod at him, then return my gaze to Cross.

As quickly as I can without turning heads, I walk over to Cross, keeping a death grip on the pommel of my sword. Fat lot of good it is against a pureblood. Sato's cold, gray face looms up in my mind and I shudder again. She wasn't able to defend herself, either.

Cross sees me approaching and smiles warmly. "Hikari-chan, you—" He stops, then, and seeing my expression, sobers. "What's going on?"

"Sato-san," I say softly, helplessly. "Dead. In the… here."

Instantly, Cross is following me upstairs. Once we reach the corridor, I see Zero striding toward us with purpose. He smells it, too. We all three reach the room at the same time, and I point wordlessly inside.

Footsteps on the soft carpet make me turn, and here comes Yuki. Great. More spectators. She blinks at me. "Good evening, Yagari-san," she says politely, but she also seems on edge. Gee, I wonder why.

"Good evening, Kuran-sama," I say, bowing to her stiffly. "Please excuse me, but you shouldn't go in here." I bite my lip. I know she's a pureblood, but she's not part of the Association, and I probably shouldn't allow anyone else. I might've messed everything up just by allowing Takuma, Rima, and Senri inside, though they didn't touch anything.

Yuki frowns, looking puzzled. "Can I help at all? I know I can't do much, but maybe if I could get my brother to come see…" she trails off.

I mean, it's _Yuki_. If she has nothing else, she has the power to actually be of some use where all these vampires are concerned. More to the point, if Cross trusted her back at the Academy, that's enough for me. I'll deal with Toga's wrath later, assuming Cross and Zero don't throw her out right now.

A little voice whispers in the back of my mind that Cross trusts Zero and Takamiya, too, and they let a human student into the ball tonight.

Honestly, I don't have the strength to argue with her. I step aside. "Please, if you can help us track down who did it…"

Yuki nods and slips past me into the room.

I hope that was the right decision.

In the corner of my eye, I catch movement at the far end of the hall. I turn to see Hanabusa Aido and Sayori Wakaba standing there. Good—she's still safe. For now, anyway.

"What's going on?" Aido asks. The two start down the hallway, but something in me rebels at the idea of Wakaba seeing that. She doesn't need to be exposed to that kind of thing. How old is she, fifteen, maybe sixteen?

I shake my head. "You shouldn't see it."

Aido's expression is grim. I'm not used to seeing him like that—not like Idol-senpai. "Who is it?"

"Aimi Sato-san," I say quietly. "She didn't deserve to die like that."

Wakaba turns a bit pale, and edges closer to Aido, who holds out an arm before her, as though to keep her from running toward the scene of the crime—which she's clearly not eager to do. She's shrinking away, in fact.

Poor thing. She just wanted to say hello to her friend, and now…

I turn back. "I've got to work. I'm sorry," I say, bowing at Aido and Wakaba. The least I can do is help catch Sato's attacker.

Back inside, I catch Yuki's voice. "I will definitely find whoever did this," she says softly, but with determination. Her hands are balled up into fists at her sides.

"Stay out of it," Zero says sharply. "It's not a game."

"I know!" Yuki snaps back. "I'm not Yuki Cross anymore—I'm not helpless! I have the power to do something about this. So I can't just stand to the side when—" She shakes her head. "I will do what it takes to keep things like this from happening again."

I nod at her, and she gives me a slightly embarrassed look, but she's still determined. Good. I wish I could be as confident as she is that she can do something helpful. Look at me—all I did tonight was talk to my ex while one of my coworkers got killed.

Fat lot of good I am.

"Yuki, you should leave before the smell of blood affects you."

We all turn to the door to see Kaname standing there, dressed entirely in black. I instinctively take a step back. Was he this… ominous before?

Should I be suspecting him after all?

"But the party—" Yuki begins, but Zero cuts her off.

"With this," he gestures at the body, "this farce of a party is over, Kuran." He spits the name out like a curse.

* * *

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